​New Windows 10 preview updates sign-in screen | Industry

Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 preview, for the version coming after the October 2018 Update, changes the look of the sign-in page and also shows the company’s next phase for integrating Windows 10 with Android smartphones.

The new preview build 18327 comes from Microsoft’s 19H1 branch, which is the preview of the version of the Windows 10 after the October 2018 Update from the Redstone 5 branch. Build 18327 is available for Windows Insiders on the Skip Ahead track.

The new build brings Microsoft’s blurry background “acrylic” texture to the sign-in screen background. Acrylic is one feature of Microsoft’s Fluent Design System. Applying it to the sign-in screen is meant to help users focus on the task of signing in.

“The translucent texture of this transient surface helps you focus on the sign-in task by moving the actionable controls up in the visual hierarchy while maintaining their accessibility,” said Microsoft.

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That’s the only feature update in this build but Microsoft has addressed several of the same bugs that were previously affecting October 2018 Update preview builds.

Microsoft has also renamed its Microsoft Apps on Android as the Your Phone Companion app to line up with its recently launched Your Phone Windows 10 app for Android phone owners, which lets users send texts from a PC and sync recent photos from their phone with the PC.

Upon the next auto-update, users who’ve installed the Microsoft Apps on Android should see more cues that visually link the Your Phone Companion app to the Your Phone app on Windows 10.

Microsoft has posted a detailed FAQ about the Your Phone app and different functionality available for Android and iPhone devices. The app will still continue to recommend Microsoft’s Android apps.

Microsoft has also corrected a misfired release of 19H1 build 18237. It initially released it encrypted and received user reports it was causing high memos usage. It later re-published an unencrypted version of the build.

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