What features Microsoft has stopped developing or removed in the May update of Windows 10 (2004)

Microsoft recently began the full rollout of a major May update for Windows 10 (version 2004). As usual, the build comes with a host of new features, such as the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2, a new Cortana app, and more. There are many known issues, which the company will try to fix soon. Now Microsoft has published a list of features that have become obsolete or have been removed in the new OS release.

This is not an especially large list compared to some past updates, but nonetheless. Here’s what the company considers obsolete (these features are still part of the OS but are no longer actively developed):

Function	Details
Companion Device Framework	The toolkit is no longer actively developed.
Microsoft Edge	The outdated version of Microsoft Edge based on its own engine is no longer being developed.
Dynamic Disks	The dynamic disks feature is no longer developed. It will be completely replaced by Storage Spaces technology in the next Windows 10 release.

The Companion Device Framework served as a way to connect to external devices like Microsoft Band for logging into Windows 10 (apparently, this technology did not gain popularity). Regarding the browser, the decision is quite natural given Edge's transition to the Chromium engine.

Here’s what Microsoft has completely removed from Windows 10 (2004):

Function	Details
Cortana	The personal assistant was updated and improved in the May update of Windows 10. However, with the new changes, some non-Microsoft consumer features like music, smart home connectivity, and others are no longer available.
Windows To Go	The feature (running Windows 10 in a special workspace, e.g., from a flash drive) was declared obsolete back in Windows 10 (1903) and removed in this release.
Mobile Plans and Messaging apps	Both applications are still supported but are now distributed differently. OEM manufacturers can now include these apps in Windows images for devices with built-in cellular support. In builds for regular PCs, these apps are removed.

Thus, Cortana was replaced with a new application in this update. The integration of the mobile plans feature makes little sense on most PCs, and the Messaging app has been completely useless for many years. Skype at the dawn of Windows 10 was split into three applications: Messaging, Phone, and Skype Video. This practice was short-lived: eventually, Skype returned to being a single app. Skype Video and Phone were removed, while Messaging remained a useless addition.

Source: 3dnews.ru