Windows 11 and advertising
Microsoft is committed to realizing the potential of Windows 11 to display ads. After File Explorer and the Start Menu, users noticed its appearance in another “popular” section of the operating system, Settings.
On twitter Albacore tunaKnown for its commitment to analyzing the latest builds of Windows 11, reveals that Microsoft is working on a broadcast of advertising via the Settings home page.
When the Settings app opens, you’ll see an announcement for the Microsoft 365 service on the Home page.
A free trial is offered. Storage information and tips for securing the account are offered below.
Another version of this home page has the Microsoft 365 announcement at the bottom of the screen and the storage engine just above it. In addition, a notification about the end of support for certain products can be displayed on the Accounts page.
For example, the screenshot below shows a note for the Office suite Office 2013. Support has ended.
Windows 11, a perfect advertising space?
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has promoted Microsoft 365. Tests were performed in the start menu. We also had changes to the user icon to indicate an issue when detecting a local account. The idea is to push for setting up an online account.
Last year, ads popped up in Windows 11’s most-used app, File Explorer.
Windows 11, Microsoft is testing ads in File Explorer
From all of this it is clear that Microsoft wants to take advantage of the popularity of its operating system to promote its subscription products. It turns out that a local account is no longer desired. An online account brings many benefits, but you have to agree to share a lot more data. A subscription-based service is an effective way to increase sales. This could explain the gradual cessation of license sales.
Note that most of these “promotional” tests are observed using builds from the Windows Insider Program. We don’t know if Microsoft will decide to use this advertising on a large scale. Also if this happens is there an option to disable it?