December 11th.MicrosoftBeing tested on Windows 11 Copilot The new update to the app transforms it from an Edge-powered web app to a "native" Windows 11 app, according to Microsoft. However, in addition to the cosmetic changes, WindowsCentral reports.Copilot's real-world functionality experience still depends on theweb page, is not fundamentally different from the previous version.
1AI notes the following description of the new version of Copilot from Microsoft: "With this update, the previous Copilot Progressive Web App (PWA) is replaced by a native version. After installing the Copilot app update, you will see it appear in your system tray when you run Copilot."
Despite the name "Native".The new version of Copilot still loads copilot.microsoft.com website.The main difference from the old version is that it no longer relies on Microsoft Edge's PWA system.However, it still uses WebView2 technology (the rendering engine of the Edge browser) to display Copilot's web interface.
WindowsCentral states thatLabeling this new version of Copilot as a "native" application is puzzling, since most of the functionality relies on the web!The only native parts of the new version of the app are the menu in the title bar and the About screen. The only native parts of the new app are limited to the menu in the title bar and the About screen, which simply displays a link to a third-party license text file.
It's worth noting that the new Copilot app does introduce a new feature - a "Quick Look" user interface. The interface, which can be accessed using the Alt + Spacebar shortcut, is essentially the same Copilot website content, but condensed into a smaller window. The new app also places a Copilot icon in the system tray.
Of course, the new version of Copilot is still in the preview stage, and Microsoft may actually turn Copilot's core interface into a native Windows experience in the future. Perhaps Microsoft has bigger plans for this native Copilot app, but at least in the current preview version, there's not a whole lot that's substantially new.