Microsoft’s latest optional update for Windows 11 has caused controversy with its inclusion of prompts for users to back up their files on OneDrive, which some view as intrusive advertisements. The update, which brings the operating system to 22621.1485, includes “notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu,” which Microsoft insists are not ads but useful prompts for features that integrate with Windows 11. However, the prompts have already sparked debate among users about what constitutes an ad.
The update is currently available to a small audience through the Windows 11 Settings app and the Microsoft Update Catalog. Assuming all goes well with the preview build, the update will roll out more broadly next month as part of Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday updates. Along with the controversial prompts, the update also includes several bug fixes and improvements, including a lighter search box on the taskbar when Windows is set to a custom color mode.
The inclusion of prompts to use OneDrive within the Start menu has divided opinions, with some users feeling that Microsoft is being too pushy in promoting its cloud storage service. Others argue that as the maker and maintainer of Windows 11, Microsoft has the right to promote services that it feels benefit users. The debate over what constitutes an ad is likely to continue, as Microsoft continues to integrate its services more deeply into Windows 11.
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(Via)
