14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft released Windows 10 build 10162 last week as the most polished build of the new operating system so far, with the company suggesting that this could be the closest we could get to the RTM version expected to ship on July 29.
One of the changes that Microsoft made to this build is the addition of new icons for the desktop Control Panel, which make it look somewhat modern despite the fact that it'll be soon phased out.
Microsoft has already confirmed that the desktop Control Panel will be removed at some point and replaced with the new Settings menu, but this is very unlikely to happen in the RTM build. The first major update for Windows 10 is expected to launch in late 2015, so Control Panel could be finally removed at that point.
In the meantime, there are new icons available for users, but some features are still missing after they have been moved to Settings, including the Windows Update screen.
Icons part of the OS
And yet, despite the fact that there are new icons included in the Control Panel, this doesn't mean that Microsoft has focused specifically on improving this feature of the operating system.
Most likely, as part of the full revamp of the Windows icon pack, the Control Panel has gotten refreshed too, as its icons have been redesigned as part of the whole package.
Needless to say, it doesn't make much sense to try to redesign a feature that's projected to get the ax in the coming updates, so do not expect any other improvements to be made to Control Panel before RTM.
The Settings screen is one of Microsoft's ways to bring together its Windows 10 platforms, as it looks very similar to the one on smartphones and tablets. This way, a similar experience will be provided across all devices, no matter if you use Windows 10 on a PC or on a mobile phone.
