New Copilot+ PCs from Microsoft come with a dedicated Copilot key. However, this new key now only starts a basic Progressive Web App (PWA), significantly dialing back its intended functionalities.
This new Copilot key, part of the latest Windows keyboards, triggers a PWA version of Copilot, according to The Verge. Consequently, it no longer supports managing Windows 11 settings or docking as a sidebar. The previous keyboard shortcut, “WINDOWS + C“, to activate Copilot, is disabled on these devices.
Limited Copilot Experience
Progressive Web Apps are constructed using standard web technologies like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WebAssembly. They are intended to operate on any platform that has a browser that meets standards, encompassing both desktop and mobile devices.
PWAs have limited access to system features and native APIs compared to traditional desktop applications. For example, while they can access basic hardware features like GPS, camera, and microphone through browser APIs, they may not have full access to advanced system functionalities and hardware access like USB, serial communication, or full Bluetooth capabilities, which can restrict their use in more complex applications.
This means the key falls short of providing shortcuts to apps or AI features, as the Windows key does. The current PWA option doesn’t integrate with Windows settings, thus reducing its overall usefulness.
The new Copilot key substitutes the menu key on Copilot+ PC keyboards. Despite its limited current functionality, Microsoft intends to refine the Copilot experience eventually. For now, users must adjust to the constraints posed by the PWA version.
Microsoft claims that shifting to a different Copilot experience allows for quicker development cycles and better optimization of the Copilot experience. The company has anchored the Copilot app to the taskbar, implying lesser reliance on the dedicated key. Feedback from the Windows Insider program showed a preference for a traditional app interface, which allows resizing, moving, and snapping the window.
Copilot+ PCs Details
Initial Copilot+ PCs are equipped with either Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus processors. Some applications and games, including Google Drive and Halo Infinite, are not compatible at launch. Nonetheless, AI features such as Cocreator, Live Captions, and Windows Studio Effects are still functional and noteworthy. The Snapdragon Elite X chipsets have demonstrated superior performance, even surpassing the MacBook Air M3 in certain areas.
Compared to the Apple M3 in the MacBook Air, the Snapdragon X Elite matched the M3‘s single-threaded performance but surpassed it by 28% in multi-threaded workloads. The Snapdragon chip also demonstrated significantly better AI performance, with its Hexagon NPU being twice as fast as the M3 in computer vision benchmarks.
In terms of battery life, the Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops have shown up to 40% longer battery life than the MacBook Air M3 in video playback tests. The Snapdragon chip’s efficiency and performance-per-watt appear to be key strengths.
Last Updated on November 7, 2024 3:49 pm CET
