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Key Takeaways 

Big news from CES 2026: XPS is back and better than ever. We’ve designed the XPS lineup with you in mind, featuring:  

• iconic design  

• refined interfaces  

• improved performance  

• stunning displays  

• The best battery life in the industry  

The new models are more portable than ever. Meet the Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16 and get a sneak peek at what’s next for XPS.  

Today at CES 2026, we introduce the new Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16. These laptops maintain the XPS identity you know and love.  

With these launches, XPS sets the standard for premium laptops. The latest models offer bold looks, fast performance, impressive displays, and outstanding battery life all in a compact device. Now let’s look at the design inspiration behind these devices.  

Considered Design Towards Seamless Creativity 

A great tool should feel like it’s part of you. That’s the idea behind the new XPS lineup, made from premium materials like CNC aluminum and tough Gorilla Glass. The clean, simple design adds strength and removes visual clutter using a few parting lines and calm colors. These laptops feel sleek and ready to support your creative work.  

For the first time, the XPS logo appears on the front cover. Reviewers, reviewers, and XPS fans have asked for this change for years. It’s a small detail, but it makes a statement: this is XPS.  

The focus on detail continues in the minimalist design. Every part is made to help you focus and work easily. We are bringing back the traditional functional role for reliable tactile feedback. There’s subtle etching around the touchpad sensitive area, and we have improved key travel and feedback for a faster, more accurate typing experience. These small touches really change how the laptop feels to use.  

We have also designed these models keeping sustainability in mind. They have easy-to-remove keyboards and are the first XPS devices with modular USB-C ports, making repairs easier and helping your PC last longer. We use recycled steel in the hinges and recycled cobalt and copper in the batteries. These devices meet the latest EPEAT 2.0 standards, showing Dell’s devotion to sustainable innovation and circular design.  

Power and Mobility without Compromise 

The XPS 14 and XPS 16 use Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors and built-in Intel Arc graphics with 12 Xe cores. They offer up to 57% faster AI performance and 78% faster AI performance, respectively, and over 50% faster graphics than previous models. These processors also power Co-Pilot plus PC features and support faster image editing, smooth video playback, and lag-free gaming.  

We redesigned the thermal system to support this performance. Our new fans are the largest and thinnest they’ve ever made, increasing airflow and keeping internal components cooler even under heavy workloads. As a result, the laptop stays cooler in your lap. It runs quieter during performance spikes and maintains battery life during demanding tasks. This engineering choice makes everyday use more comfortable and helps performance last longer throughout your day.  

And then there is mobility. The XPS 14 and XPS 16 are our thinnest laptops, measuring just 14.6 mm. We have engineered the thinnest and narrowest 8MP/4K camera ever integrated into a Dell laptop, and we are the first to implement 900ED (Energy density) battery cells, which are smaller and lighter while delivering more power. These deliberate choices in innovative technology let us expand the limits of narrow bezels, prioritizing ultra-thin designs and greater mobility.  

Here’s what that delivers:  

• The XPS 14 weighs roughly 3 lb lighter than the previous generation.  

• The XPS 16 weighs 3.6 lb lighter than its predecessor.  

• The XPS 14 is now more compact than the MacBook Air 13, taking up less desk space while giving you more screen space.  

With this mix of portability and performance, the XPS lineup is ready to keep up with you wherever you go.  

Let’s Turn To The User Experience: From Exceptional Displays To All-Day Battery Life, These Elements Make XPS Stand Out 

Your screen is your window to your digital art board. The new XPS laptops feature InfinityEdge displays that draw you in, whether you are creating, working, or streaming.  

In 2024, we debut the first Tandem OLED laptop, establishing a new standard for display technology. This year, we are bringing Tandem OLED as an option to the XPS 14 and XPS 16, delivering cinematic-quality visuals. With enhanced brightness, improved efficiency, a longer lifespan, and better color stability, these state-of-the-art panels offer richer, more brilliant colors with ultra-high resolution, creating lifelike visuals.  

For those who prioritize mobility and longer sessions, if you need mobility and long use away from a charger, our standard 2K LCD panels offer clear visuals and great battery life. These devices have the best battery life in the industry. They can last for up to 27 hours or over 40 hours with local video playback. Manage office work tasks, continue projects from home, and stream uninterrupted day and night.  

This isn’t marketing; it comes from real innovations.  

• The LCD display uses smart power management to adjust the display refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz. When viewing static content such as emails, the panel lowers its refresh rate to 1 Hz to minimize power drop. For fast-moving visuals, it increases to 120, giving you smooth scrolling and video playback. These adjustments happen automatically, saving power without any work or settings needed from you.  

• And the thermal design we mentioned earlier isn’t just about performance. Running cooler means using less power, which directly translates into longer battery life.  

These smart optimizations ensure a premium visual experience while prolonging battery life.  

Looking Ahead, The XPS Story Doesn’t End Here. There’s Even More Innovation on The Horizon 

That’s not enough! Here’s more good news! Later this year, the XPS lineup will grow with new products at different price points and in new styles. You’ll get the same commitment toward quality and innovation with more ways to experience it!  

First up is the XPS 13, which we expect to be our thinnest and lightest XPS laptop ever at under 13 mm. It has the same premium build and high-quality InfinityEdge screens. The difference is that this will be our most affordable XPS, yet it will make XPS craftsmanship available to more people.  

XPS is here to stay. 2026 marks a bold new beginning for innovation and excellence—join us as we shape the future together.  

Pricing and Availability 

The XPS 14 and XPS 16 mark an exciting, fresh chapter for XPS. Limited configurations are available for purchase tomorrow, January 6.  

• XPS 14 Launch Configuration Price: US$2,049.99  

• XPS 16 Launch Configuration Price: US$ 2,199.99  

Additional configurations, including new starting configurations under $2,000, will be available in February. Both models will initially be available in graphite, with the shimmer color option becoming available later this year. Additionally, the XPS 14 will also be available with Ubuntu 24.0 later this year.  

The new XPS 13 will be available later this year.  

Enhance your experience with DellCare Premium: 24/7 support, on-site repairs, and accident coverage. Keep your PC performing at its best. 

Source: This is XPS Now 

For nearly two years, a persistent ghost has haunted the machines of AMD enthusiasts across the United States. High-performance gaming rigs equipped with Radeon RX 6000 and RX 7000 series GPUs specifically those pushing pixels across multiple high-refresh-rate monitors have suffered from a bafflingly high idle power draw. While an idling PC should ideally sip power, many users reported their GPUs drawing upwards of 80 to 100 watts just sitting at the Windows desktop. 

This week, AMD released the Adrenalin Edition 26.2.2 WHQL driver, resolving the “Idle Power Draw Bug” for most multi-monitor setups. For US gamers paying for extra electricity or dealing with excess heat and noise, this is a long-awaited fix for RDNA 2 and RDNA 3 architectures. 

The Anatomy of the Bug: Why Idle Power Spiked 

Modern GPUs have “power states” that ramp up under load and down at idle, reducing power use. 

With multiple monitors, especially at different resolutions or refresh rates, the GPU sometimes keeps VRAM at max speed to avoid screen issues. 

The result? A Radeon RX 7900 XTX that should be drawing 15 watts at idle would instead consume 95 watts. Over the course of a year, for a PC left on for work and play in high-cost energy markets like California or New York, this bug could add high costs to a household’s annual power bill. 

RDNA 3 and the “Chiplet” Challenge 

While the RX 6000 series (RDNA 2) occasionally experienced this issue, it became a headline-grabbing problem with the launch of the RX 7000 series (RDNA 3). Because RDNA 3 uses a chiplet design separating the Graphics Compute Die (GCD) from the Memory Cache Dies (MCD), the interconnect between these components requires a minimum power baseline to maintain data integrity. 

Early 2024 and 2025 driver updates offered “improvements,” but they were often conditional. Users were told to enable Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) or ensure their monitors were “Free Sync Premium” certified. If a gamer used a high-end G-Sync display or an older high-refresh panel without VRR support, the high-power draw remained. 

The 26.2.2 update introduces a more robust solution that more effectively decouples the VRAM clock from basic desktop synchronization. By optimizing the Memory Controller Hub (MCH) logic, AMD has enabled the GPU to enter low-power states even while driving two or three independent displays at maximum refresh rates. 

Benchmark Results: Before vs. After 26.2.2 

Initial testing from the US tech community reveals a dramatic shift in efficiency. In standard “Desktop Idle” scenarios involving two 1440p 144Hz monitors, the power consumption delta is staggering. 

Beyond the raw numbers, the “quality of life” improvements are immediate. Lower power draw means less heat build-up inside the case. For many users, this allows their GPU fans to remain in “Zero RPM” mode indefinitely during desktop use, resulting in a silent computing experience previously impossible without manually lowering refresh rates. 

How to Properly Apply the Fix 

If you’ve used custom resolutions or lowered refresh rates as workarounds, reset these to default settings before installing the new driver. 

1. Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to ensure no remnants of the old power management profiles remain. Run DDU in Safe Mode to completely wipe the existing driver. 

2. Download and install the Adrenalin 26.2.2 WHQL driver from the AMD support site. 

3. Optionally, enable Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) in Windows and your monitor for best results. 

4. Use ALT+R in Adrenalin to check “Total Board Power” at the desktop. Under 20W confirms the fix. 

The Road to RDNA 4 

This software milestone arrives just as rumors about the Radeon RX 9000 series (RDNA 4) intensify. By resolving a two-year-old architectural quirk now, AMD is clearing the deck for its next-generation GPUs. It shows a commitment to the “fine wine” philosophy to the idea that Radeon hardware improves significantly over its lifespan through software maturation. 

For the multi-monitor power users who have felt neglected by these power-draw issues since 2022, the 26.2.2 update is a sign that AMD is finally prioritizing the fundamental user experience alongside raw gaming performance.

Source: AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.2.2 Release Notes 

Meta released a new collection of AI models, Llama4, as part of its Llama family on Saturday.  

The three new models are:  

• Llama 4 Scout  

• Llama 4 Maverick  

• Llama 4 Behemoth  

Meta says they were all trained on massive amounts of unlabeled text, image, and video data to give them a broad visual understanding.  

Models from the Chinese AI lab DeepSeek matched or outperformed Meta’s earlier Llama models, reportedly prompting Meta to accelerate Llama development. Meta set up teams to study how DeepSeek reduced costs for running and deploying models like R1 and V3.  

Scout and Maverick are available on llama.com and through Meta’s partners, such as the AI development platform Hugging Face. Behemoth is still being trained. Meta says its AI assistant, Meta AI, now uses Llama4 in 40 countries. For now, multi-modal features are only available in English in the US across apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.  

Developers might have concerns about the Llama4 license. Users and companies domiciled in or with a principal place of business in the EU are prohibited from using or distributing the models, likely due to governance requirements imposed by the region’s AI and data privacy laws. Meta has declared these laws to be overly burdensome. In addition, as with previous Llama releases, companies with more than 700 million monthly active users must request a special license from Meta, which Meta can grant or deny at its sole discretion.  

These Llama4 models mark the beginning of a new era for the Llama ecosystem. Meta wrote in a blog post: “This is just the beginning for the Llama 4 collection.”  

Meta says that Llama 4 is its first cohort of models to use a mixture-of-experts (MOE) architecture, which is more computationally efficient for both training and query answering. MOE architecture breaks down data-computation tasks into subtasks and delegates them to smaller, specialized expert models.  

Maverick, for example, has 400 billion total parameters but only 17 billion active parameters spread across 128 experts. Parameters are a rough measure of a model’s problem-solving ability. According to SCOUT, it has 17 billion active parameters, 16 experts, and 109 billion total parameters.  

According to Meta’s internal testing memory, which the company says is best for general assistant and chat use cases like creative writing, it exceeds models such as OpenAI’s GPT-4.0 and Google’s Gemini 2.0 on certain coding, reasoning, multilingual, long context, and image benchmarks. However, Maverick doesn’t quite measure up to more capable recent models, such as Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro, Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet, and OpenAI’s GPT-4.5.  

Scout excels at summarizing documents and assessing large codebases thanks to its 10-million-token context window. Tokens are pieces of raw text, like splitting ‘fantastic’ into ‘fan’, ‘tas’, and ‘tic’. This means Scout can process images and millions of words at once, making it useful for very long documents.  

Scout can run on a single NVIDIA H100 GPU, according to Meta. Maverick requires an NVIDIA H100 DGX system or a similar configuration. Behemoth, the most demanding, has 288 billion active parameters, 16 experts, and nearly 2 trillion total parameters, necessitating even more powerful hardware. Meta’s internal benchmarking shows Behemoth as top-performing: GPT 4.5, Cloud Sonnet 3.7, and Gemini 2.0, but not 2.5 Pro, across several STEM skill evaluations, such as math problem-solving.  

None of the Llama4 models are true reasoning models like OpenAI’s O1 and O3 Mini, which check their answers and usually give more reliable responses but take longer to reply than non-reasoning models.  

Interestingly, Meta says it tuned all its Llama 4 models to answer contentious questions less often. According to the company, Llama 4 responds to debated political and social topics that the previous crop of Llama models wouldn’t. In addition, the company says Llama 4 is dramatically more balanced, which prompts it to flat-out refuse to entertain.  

Count on Llama4 to provide helpful, factual answers without judgment, a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch. We’re continuing to make Llama more responsive so that it answers more questions, responds to a variety of viewpoints, and doesn’t favor some views over others. These changes come at a time when some vital allies are accusing AI chatbots of being unduly politically woke.  

Many of President Donald Trump’s close confidants, including billionaire Elon Musk and crypto and AI czar David Sachs, have alleged that popular AI chatbots censor conservative views. Sachs has historically singled out OpenAI’s ChatGPT as programmed, but it’s still not clear whether it will continue to be vocal and as  

Bias in AI remains a difficult technical problem, and even Musk’s AI company XAI has struggled to build a chatbot that does not favor certain political views.  

OpenAI and others have adjusted AI models, so they answer more questions, especially controversial ones.

Source:  Meta releases Llama 4, a new crop of flagship AI models

Apple introduced the new MacBook Air with the M5 chip, offering better performance and more AI features. The M5 includes a faster CPU and a new GPU, both with neural accelerators for creative and AI tasks. The laptop starts with 512GB of faster storage, expandable to 4TB. The N1 wireless chip supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The MacBook Air keeps its slim design, liquid retina display, up to 18 hours of battery, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. It runs macOS Tapo, comes in 13- and 15-inch sizes, and is available in several colors. Pre-orders begin March 4. It goes on sale on March 11.  

The new MacBook Air with M5 brings incredible performance and even more capability to the world’s most popular laptops, said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering. With M5, the MacBook Air powers through a wide range of tasks, from everyday productivity to creative workloads, and is even faster for AI, featuring now double the starting storage, as well as Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, in a sleek, durable design with long battery life. MacBook Air is the perfect laptop for anyone who values the unrivaled combination of performance and portability.  

Incredible Performance With M5 For AI And More 

The M5 chip delivers strong performance across a wide range of tasks, from daily work to creative projects. The MacBook Air with M5 features a 10-core CPU, including the world’s fastest CPU core for better responsiveness. It also has up to a 10-core GPU, each with a neural accelerator, making AI tasks up to four times faster than the MacBook Air with M4 and up to 9.5 times faster than the MacBook Air with M1. This renders it a powerful choice for AI, whether you are using Apple intelligence at home or running large language models on the device for business.  

The M5 chip features improved shader cores and a third-generation ray tracing engine, boosting performance for gaming and 3D rendering. It also offers faster unified memory with 153 GB/s of bandwidth, a 28% increase over the M4, enabling more seamless multitasking and quicker app launches. Altogether, the MacBook Air with M5 delivers better performance than previous models, including:  

• AI video enhancement is much faster compared to earlier MacBook Air models.  

• 3D rendering is significantly faster on the new MacBook Air than on other models.  

• The image processing is faster on the new MacBook Air than on its predecessors.  

• Web browsing is markedly faster than on similar PC laptops, with demanding tasks also improved.  

Double The Starting Storage And A Faster SSD 

The MacBook Air with M5 starts with 512 GB of storage, double the previous amount, and can be configured up to 4 TB for large projects and games. The new SSD is twice as fast as before, making file access and work quicker. This speed benefits you when importing photos or running AI tasks.  

Tremendous value for upgraders with the world’s most popular laptop 

Want to upgrade from an older MacBook Air, whether it has Apple silicon or an Intel chip? Now is the time. With the fast M5 chip, the new MacBook Air offers these features:  

• Stunning Liquid Retina display: The 13.6- or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display is bright at 500 nits and supports 1 billion colors for vivid detail and extra-sharp text.  

• Battery lasts up to 18 hours. This is 6 hours more than the Intel-based MacBook Air. Faster charging lets you work, create, or play all day. You do not have to plug in often.  

• The 13-inch MacBook Air is easy to carry. The 15-inch gives you more space for multitasking. Both are thin, light, silent, and come in four colors: sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.  

• The 12 MP center stage camera with desk view helps you look your best on video calls. The three-mic array keeps your voice clear, and the sound system with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos delivers rich, three-dimensional audio for music and movies.  

• Wi-Fi 7 & Bluetooth 6: the New Apple-designed N1 chip supports both, delivering better performance and improved connection reliability.  

• The MacBook Air has two Thunderbolt 4 ports for accessories. It supports up to two external displays, which is ideal for more workspace. MagSafe gives you a dedicated charging port. You get extra security when plugged in.  

The Power of Mac OS Tahoe Mac OS completes the MacBook Air experience, bringing it to life with features and built-in apps like Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. Mac OS Tahoe helps you get more done and lets you personalize your Mac with a new color app for folders, app icons, and widgets. 
 
Apple Intelligence has powerful features and strong privacy, including:  

• live translation in Messages for talking across languages  

• smarter reminders that sort your tasks  

• better shortcuts that use Apple Intelligence to automate things like pulling info from a PDF and adding it to a spreadsheet  

Continuity features include:  

• The phone app on Mac, which lets you make cellular calls from your iPhone  

• live activities, which allow notifications and iPhone mirroring so you can act on them right from your Mac  

For video calls, the new edge light effect provides even lighting for your face in any condition.  

MacBook Air And the Environment 

The MacBook Air with M5 was created with the environment in mind and helps Apple move closer to its goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030. It uses 55% recycled materials, including 100% recycled aluminum for the enclosure and 100% recycled cobalt for the battery. Half of the electricity used in its manufacturing comes from renewable sources, for example, wind and solar. The MacBook Air is built to last and can be repaired while still meeting Apple’s standards for energy efficiency and safer materials. Its paper packaging is made entirely from fiber and is easy to recycle.

Source: Apple introduces the new MacBook Air with M5 

The Google March 2026 core update is coming soon, and it’s already getting a lot of attention from website owners and content writers. This major update is expected to cause significant changes in search rankings, helping them stay visible and reach their audience’s websites. All industries will need to adjust. With this update, some websites will gain visibility while others may quickly lose traffic. We will explain the update, highlight sites likely to benefit or lose, and offer tips to help web chat owners and content writers adapt.adjust.  

What Is The Google Core Update Of March 2026? 

The March 2026 Google Core update is a change to the search algorithm meant to improve the quality of search results. Contrary to smaller updates that target specific issues, Core updates change several ranking factors at once. These include:  

• Content quality  

• E-E-A-T signals  

• User experience  

• Relevance  

• Authority  

Google releases these updates every few months to ensure users find helpful, trustworthy content.  

Deployment Timeline 

• Update Announcement: March 2026  

• Rollout Duration: 2-3 weeks  

• Global impact: all languages & regions  

Winners Of the Google Algorithm Update 2026 

Several types of websites are expected to benefit from the March 2026 core update, including.  

• High-quality websites with well-researched, detailed content will likely rank higher by offering users more reliable information. liable information.  

• E-E-A-T-optimized Blogs  

E-E-A-T signals will become even more important. Websites that show experience, expertise, authority, and trust are likely to get more visibility.  

• Niche AuPosts focused on specific topics will outperform general content. Google favors niche expertise over shallow information. er shallow content.  

• Human First: Content Creators  

And will perform better when created with readers in mind, rather than just for search engines. Writers who bring a personal touch to their work will see better results.  

Who May Lose Visibility Sites offering real value will benefit from the March 2026 update; others may see steep drops. Sites most at risk include:st at risk include:  

• AI Spam content sites: The March core update will also affect sites with lots of machine-generated content. Sites that rely on mass-produced AI-generated content with little human input are likely to be affected by the March 2026 update. Thin affiliate websites will also be affected by the March 2026 update. Sites with weak product reviews are likely to drop in rankings.o dClickbait news platforms with sensational headlines, but shallow content will likely drop in rankings. are likely to drop.  

• Poor E-E-A-T: Websites without credible authors or other trust signals will also see their rankings affected.   

Next, let’s examine the main factors that the March 2026 core update will emphasize, with insights relevant for the UK. 

The March 2026 Google Core Update will focus on these key factors:  

• Content originality  

• Author expertise  

• Topical authority  

• Internal linking  

• Google now values helpful, people-focused content more. Understand the 2026 content standards.  

Impact on Traffic  

The 2026 Google Algorithm Update will affect niches differently. Here’s a closer look:  

Before we dive into recovery strategies, let’s understand why these changes matter and what lessons content creators can take from the update. 

The March 2026 Google Core update will bring attention to the importance of these practices:  

• Write for humans first.  

• Add real insights  

• Avoid keyword stuffing  

• Build topical authority  

• Focus on helpfulness  

The key takeaway: prioritize high-quality, valuable content over quantity. Focus on what truly benefits users, not just search engines.  

Future Seo Predictions After This Update 

We believe that future updates will focus on:  

• first-hand experience  

• brand authority  

• AI-assisted but human-edited content  

• topical clusters  

To sum up, prioritize building user trust and authority. Move away from outdated SEO tactics. Put content quality and user needs at the center of your strategy.  

Final Thoughts 

The Google March 2026 Core Update is coming soon, and it will focus on quality, trust, and user value, rather than quick tactics, to set your website up for long-lasting success. Invest in authentic, expert-driven content for bloggers and content writers. The message is clear: create helpful content that builds authority and puts users first, not algorithms.  

Frequently asked questions 

What is the Google March 26th core update? 

The Google March 2026 core update is a broad algorithm to improve content quality and ranking relevance.  

Who will be the biggest winners? 

Authority blogs, educational sites, and E-E-A-T optimized platforms will succeed after this update.  

Who will lose their banking after the core update? 

AI spam sites, thin affiliates, and low-value publishers will suffer sharp ranking declines.

Source: Google March 2026 Core Update Explained: A Look at the Winners & Losers 

Microsoft is preparing a new Copilot offer for small and mid-size businesses. The company is also adding new AI agent features to Microsoft InTune and updating how partners can access the Windows kernel.  

These announcements reflect Microsoft’s commitment to strengthening its partner ecosystem and security capabilities. They were unveiled as part of the company’s Partner Program and Security Updates during the Ignite Conference, an annual event for developers that runs through Friday in San Francisco.  

The Partner Program updates also focus on helping solution providers and improving their skills in cloud and AI technologies. Nicole Dezen, Microsoft’s chief partner officer and corporate vice president of global channel partner sales, says the organizations that spend 10 to 20% of their time on training can outperform others, innovate more quickly, and lead their industries.  

In an AI-first world, scaling is the new currency, Dezen said in a blog post on Tuesday.  

Microsoft Ignite 2025 

Other updates in Security and Partner programs at Ignite 2025 include:  

• A new App Accelerate offer that combines new incentives, benefits, and course support across the Microsoft Cloud.  

• New partner destinations  

• Updates to Purview, Entra, and Defender  

Keep reading for more details on the biggest news from Ignite 2025 about Security and the Microsoft Partner Program.  

Partner Scaling Hub App Accelerate Marketplace Updates 

Microsoft’s partner’s scaling hub is now widely available, and reviews for the app accelerator offer have started.  

The Skilling Hub provides partners with live, virtual, and on-demand learning for pre-sales and technical roles. According to Microsoft, partners can also earn certifications through the Hub.  

App Accelerate, fully available in 2026, will provide developer partners with technical guidance, tools, and go-to-market resources.  

In addition, Microsoft now offers resale-enabled options worldwide on its online marketplace. This lets publishers and channel partners resell software products and services directly, making transactions easier, expanding their reach, and helping them grow revenue, according to Microsoft.  

New Partner Destinations Badging 

The Frontier Partner badge recognizes providers that combine AI agents with human creativity to drive innovation. Earning it requires excellence in key Microsoft Cloud and AI areas.  

The Frontier Distributor Destination is for distributors helping partners deliver value to SMBs and is now available globally.  

The Support Services designation is for partners excelling in customer satisfaction, problem resolution, and service quality. The Digital Sovereignty specialization recognizes expertise in designing and implementing sovereign cloud strategies across Azure, Microsoft 365, and security.  

Microsoft 365 Copilot Business 

In December, Microsoft plans to launch a Copilot offer designed for small and mid-sized businesses.  

According to Microsoft Solution Providers in the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program, this Co-Pilot offer can help make work easier and boost productivity. It delivers more value to customers with trusted AI. The offer provides full Co-Pilot features across the Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard, and Premium plans.  

The cost for Microsoft 365 Copilot Business is $21 per user per month, and it applies to businesses with up to 300 users. This is for adding Copilot to any Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard, or Premium license. Starting December 1, Microsoft will introduce Microsoft 365 with Copilot for Business, making adoption easier and more affordable in line with renewal season.  

With these bundles, users can renew their base Microsoft 365 licenses and add Copilot for an additional $10 per user per month. For Business Premium users, adding a Purview promotion costs an extra $15 per user per month. This means Business Premium users who want both Copilot and Purview will pay $25 per user per month in addition to their base license fee.  

Microsoft has been including its security Copilot AI tools with Microsoft 365 E5 licenses.  

Eligible E5 license holders will receive 400 Security Compute Units (SCUs) per 100 paid seats per month. Their allocation is capped at 10,000 SCUs per month, according to Microsoft.  

Microsoft believes this capacity will cover most typical needs. It will limit usage beyond the allocated SCUs. Users can pay $6 per SCU on a pay-as-you-go basis. If they need more, they will get a 30-day notice before this option becomes available.  

This change is already in effect for users with Security Copilot and E5 licenses and will roll out to all E5 license holders in the next few months.  

Windows Security Recovery Updates 

Several Windows security and recovery features are now in preview or generally available. These include:  

• Windows Cloud I/O Protection  

• In-tune management for Windows recovery  

• point-in-time restore  

According to Microsoft, the new I/O protection feature offers advanced input protection against keylogging malware and keystroke injection attacks.  

Intune Recovery, now generally available, lets users remotely manage the Windows Recovery environment (WinRE). It gives a single, scalable management platform for recovery. Users can run custom recovery scripts and start recovery actions. Microsoft also plans to add this to Windows servers running in Azure Virtual Machines via the Azure portal.  

Point-in-Time Restore lets users roll back individual devices or groups to a previous state. This avoids complicated troubleshooting. The feature will be available in preview in the Windows Insider build of Windows 11 this week.  

According to Microsoft, new Windows devices next year will include Hardware Accelerated BitLocker for Full-Disk Encryption. There will be stronger hardware-based protection. In early 2026, Sysmon functionality will become generally available in Windows. This will allow security events to be accessed through an event node.  

Other Windows security features now generally available include:  

• Post-quantum cryptography  

• Zero trust  

• DNS  

• Passkey manager integration with Windows Hello  

Trust DNS uses encrypted DNS and approved servers to prevent unauthorized access during outbound name resolution.  

External Identities support is now generally available to secure logins for contractors and partners. Multiple simultaneous network links are also available. This ensures flawless failover and better connection performance.  

Microsoft is adding new networking features and auto patch management to give enterprises more control over quick machine recovery (QMR). These are part of several improvements to Windows recovery tools.  

According to Microsoft, Windows Recovery Environment will use the networking configuration from the main Windows system, so a separate WinRE setup is not needed. It currently supports Ethernet and will soon support enterprise Wi-Fi with WPA 2/3 and device certificates.  

A Cloud Rebuild for Windows 11 is now in preview for PCs with erratic behavior. Users can choose the Windows version and language through Intune. The PC downloads the installation media, rebuilds itself, and lets the user resume Autopilot. This ensures the correct mobile device management (MDM) setup. Intune Windows Backup for Organizations and OneDrive can then quickly restore the user’s apps, settings, and files.  

Auto Patch Update Readiness, now in preview, provides IT teams with greater transparency, predictability, and control. It helps them assess device fleets, spot possible issues before deployment, and plan rollouts.  

Windows Endpoint Security Kernel Access 

Microsoft has made the Windows Intune Security Platform (WESP) generally available to partners with building security tools that operate outside kernel mode, meaning these tools work without deep access to the core of the operating system.  

Microsoft says the new API is designed to lower the risk of crashes and improve stability. The company learned from the faulty CloudStrike software update that used a global Windows update in 2024.  

As part of this initiative, Microsoft is working with its Windows driver partners to move third-party drivers out of the kernel. The company is also making kernel-mode drivers more secure to reduce reliability risks. This is especially important for drivers like graphics that must remain in user mode for performance, according to Microsoft.  

Windows driver signing now includes new certification tests and adds more built-in drivers and APIs. These updates aim to replace custom kernel drivers with standard Windows drivers or shift their functions to user mode.  

Microsoft expects that over the next few years, there will be much less code running in kernel mode for drivers like:  

• Networking  

• Cameras  

• USB   

• printers  

• Batteries  

• Storage  

• Audio  

• Others  

Microsoft will continue to support third-party kernel-mode drivers, enabling innovation and their use when no built-in alternatives exist or are needed for user experience.  

Microsoft is adding new protections to kernel-mode drivers. These drivers operate at the core level of the Windows operating system and control hardware directly. New protections include:  

• Required compiler safeguards that restrict code behavior  

• Driver isolation that limits the system impact of driver problems  

• DMA remapping, a technique that prevents drivers from accidentally accessing sensitive kernel memory  

In major incidents, Windows users can now get help from Microsoft engineers through the Windows part of Mission Critical Services for Microsoft 365.  

A new digital signage mode is coming soon for non-interactive public display devices. Restaurant menus, airport flight boards, and similar signs will no longer show window screens or error messages. Diagnostics or recovery are needed. Windows will display the error screen for 15 seconds, then the display will turn off until someone uses a keyboard or mouse.  

Tune is adding new security Copilot agents for activities such as change review policy, setup, and device offboarding.  

The Device Management Service now has an administrator of tasks feature to centralize important actions such as approval requests and security. This centralizes important actions such as approval requests or security tasks. It also added a deployments feature for phased rollouts and a maintenance windows feature to help schedule updates with less disruption to business operations while blocking attacks from malicious attachments or social engineering malware (malicious software spread by deceiving users!).  

Updates for Microsoft Purview 

In the next few weeks, Microsoft will launch a public preview of new Purview data governance features, including an AI-powered tool for managing data security posture.  

The new DSPM feature combines per-view DSPM and DSPM for AI, providing a single place for data security insights and controls. It adds outcome-based workflows, broader coverage, and tools for remediating data risks. Organizations can also track agent risk and posture metrics based on agent interactions with their data.  

A new security Copilot agent in Purview is designed to help users quickly find and analyze sensitive data, disclosing hidden risks. This tool helps users disclose hidden risks in files, emails, and messages. Purview users can also see data risks in Salesforce, Snowflake, and other non-Microsoft sources, as well as data breaches, through Microsoft Sentinel integrations. They have more features, including protections for autonomous agents and an insider risk management tool that lets users flag risky agent activities by applying specific indicators and behavioral analytics.  

Azure AI Search now uses Microsoft Purview sensitive labels, which are tags that indicate data sensitivity levels, and applies related protection policies through built-in indexes (automated tools for organizing and searching data). Purview data loss prevention (DLP) policies, which protect sensitive information from leakage, now also work in co-pilot mode in the Edge for Business Browser.  

The public preview now includes:  

• Purview DLP for Microsoft 365 Copilot  

• More apps with inline data protection in Edge for Business  

• new reports on usage, compliance gaps, and Purview seat assignments  

New information protection can now detect sensitive information in meeting transcripts with its on-demand classification feature, which is in public preview.  

The generally available features include:  

• On-Demand  

• Endpoint Classification  

• Default Sensitivity Labeling for the entire SharePoint Documentation, Document Libraries, and a Data Security Triage Agent  

Priority cleanup in Purview data lifecycle management for SharePoint and OneDrive is now generally available, allowing users to override retention policies and delete files in compliance with regulations.  

Quentin Rhoads-Herera, Vice President of Security Services at Charlotte, NC-based Stratascale, which is part of SHI International and ranked number 12 on CRN’s 2025 Solution Provider 500, told CRN that Microsoft’s Purview data platform and data security are in high demand among its customers.  

As more companies adopt AI, customers are paying closer attention to data labeling and governance. This trend has led to more work for Stratascale, SHI, and other Microsoft solution providers.  

Microsoft Entra Enhancements 

Microsoft Entra Identity now has new agents in preview for:  

• Conditional access optimization  

• Access review  

• Identity risk management  

• Application lifecycle management  

The expanded public preview of Microsoft Entra Agent ID lets users grant AI agents secure access using the same identity tools used for workforce identities. Users can manage agent identities, life cycles, and resource access.  

Soft Entra internet access now has public previews for:  

• Prompt injection protection (defending against malicious user input)  

• Network file filtering (controlling files transferred over the network)  

• Shadow AI detection (finding unauthorized or hidden AI use)  

• Blocking employee access to MCP servers by web address (restricting network traffic to certain Microsoft infrastructure)  

Microsoft has released public previews for improved multi-factor authentication in EntraID. The updates contain:  

• Synced passkeys from Apple and other passkey profiles  

• Self-remediation for passwordless users  

• Self-service account recovery  

• Web address filtering  

• Guest access for external users from different tenants  

All these features are in public preview.  

Microsoft Entra Secure Access Edge (SASE) now offers preview features that can block attacks in real time, reducing exposure to risk.  

Azure Cosmos DB ID authentication, which extends Azure’s Unified Identity for database access, is now generally available.  

Developments for Microsoft Defender 

Microsoft Defender has added several new agent features, including:  

• Phishing Triage  

• Threat Intelligence  

• Vibe Hunting  

• Adaptive Threat Detection  

A based email grading system that replaces manual reviews and gives quick, clear verdicts and explanations for every reported email.  

Real-time threat detection agents actively look for false negatives and blind spots that traditional alerts might miss during an incident. These are threats that traditional alerts might be missing. When an incident occurs, agents start an automated search to find threats that have not been detected. Point and Okta. This enables real-time threat detection and automatic containment. For example, phishing and identity compromise  

The new predictive shielding feature, which automatically disrupts, activates as soon as an attack is contained. As an attack is contained, it predicts where an attacker might go next. The feature uses just-in-time hardening to block them from moving further. Defender for Cloud’s runtime protection, which is improved by agent-based remediation.

Source: Microsoft Ignite 2025: The Biggest Partner Program, Security News