Microsoft's Patch Tuesday blunder triggers emergency fixes, surprise layoffs ripple through Amazon, and the crew debates whether rapid AI advances spell the end of traditional apps. Also, password managers do a lot more than manage passwords, so there's one thing everyone needs to get right.
Windows 11
- Dev splits from Beta, tests what will surely be 26H1 - After last week's show, Microsoft did issue that same Beta build in the Dev channel for some reason
- Dev and Beta get same fixes in different builds, but no new features
- 24H2 and 25H2 Release Preview update(s) are a peek at the next Patch Tuesday, lots of changes
- January Patch Tuesday update was so terrible it required two emergency fixes, the second of which went out late Sunday
Earnings/industry
- Intel falls flat in Q4, full year 2025 despite U.S. "investment"
- Amazon lays off 16,000 employees
- Microsoft, Apple, earnings this week, Alphabet, Amazon are next week
AI
- Microsoft announces Maia 200 AI datacenter processor
- Like Baldric in Black Adder, Apple has a cunning plan for an AI Siri
- With AI costs soaring, cheaper new AI plans appear somehow
- OpenAI was last week with big expansion of ChatGPT Go
- Google does the same this week with AI Plus plan
- OpenAI, Anthropic (this week), others are adding "apps" to their chatbots
- Microsoft is exposing app features as AI Actions in Windows 11
- Paul opined that this semantic/programmatic capability was the end of apps
- But we can now essentially vibe-code our own custom apps - this is vaguely reminiscent of the home computer/DIY era, but without the technical knowledge requirements
- The age of native apps is over, at least on desktop. Will mobile fall next?
Dev
- Microsoft introduces the Windows App Development (winapp) CLI. For some reason
Xbox and gaming
- Microsoft refreshes the Xbox Cloud Gaming web experience — bigger changes coming?
- Fable is coming to Xbox, PC, PS5 in late 2026
Tips and picks
- Tip of the week: Choose a single password manager, make your life easier
- App pick of the week: Proton Pass
- RunAs Radio this week: Business Process Automation in 2026 with Ian Cooper
- Brown liquor pick of the week: Tullibardine 18
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell
Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly
Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com
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