Microsoft plans to introduce a ‘People Bar’ in Windows 10’s upcoming Redstone 2 builds

With the much-awaited Anniversary Update out the door, Microsoft is back to work on the development of the next phase of Windows 10 codenamed ‘Redstone 2’. It has already stimulated the eager Insiders with the release of a couple new preview builds, but there have been no new feature additions in the same. The Insider team has just been making under-the-hood changes to better optimize the OneCore for future updates.

While the development of the Redstone 2 build, expected to drop early next year, is currently in very early stages but there is never lack of gossip and rumors. A couple of handy new features that have been deployed but are currently not working(and being internally tested) in the preview builds, includes a People Bar and a Night Mode.

The new feature dubbed as the ‘People Bar’ has been in development since the initial launch of the original Windows 10 in 2015. Instead of hiding your recent+active contacts in the Start Menu, Microsoft plans to surface them directly in the taskbar, reports Windows Central. It wants to combine the well-known functionality of the People Hub with the familiarity of the taskbar, by allowing you to pin circular contact icons in the System Tray.

As seen above, this functionality could be very similar to the pinned contacts feature on Windows 10 Mobile which allows you to see contact details and interact with the desired person on the go. Contact icons placed in the taskbar will probably have communication support from Skype, GroupMe, and even Office, allowing you to message people directly by selecting their circular icon.

In addition to this, some Insiders have also uncovered code references that point towards the inclusion of a new Night Mode feature, called ‘Blue Light‘. This feature that will be available as a toggle in the Action Center, will allow you to control the tone and color of your display depending on the current time and lighting environment. Blue Light, as known to all, gives the screen a yellow hue that reduces eye strain and positively affects your sleep patterns.

Though this could be seen as a small feature addition, and that it is, but Microsoft is working on pushing the envelope on enterprise productivity with the release of Redstone 2 and 3 builds. The upcoming preview builds could also focus more on integrating Office and its sibling technologies to the core of the Windows experience.