Windows 10 will have support for OS X-like trackpad multi-gestures

If you’ve ever used a modern-day OS X-powered computer, you will know how advanced its trackpads functionalities are. It supports a plethora of gestures that enriches the computing experience. But same can’t be said about Windows-powered systems. Microsoft wants to change that with its forthcoming Windows 10 operating system.

At its TechEd Europe event earlier today, the company’s vice president of Operating Systems Groups Joe Belfiore announced that Windows 10 will come with multi-touch gesture support. Since the change is being implemented by Microsoft on software front, it will also help the company bring a unified experience across its hardware partners. “In the past touch pads on Windows have really been done very differently because OEMs do them,” explained Belfiore.

The multi-touch gesture support is being added keeping power-users in mind, and some of its features will be there in the build 9865 of Windows 10 Technical Preview. Among the trackpad gesture features Belfiore demoed included, a three-finger swipe down on the trackpad to minimize all the opened windows, and as you would guess, swiping up will maximize all those windows. Similarly, a three-finger swipe to the sides will allow users to switch between the active windows displayed in Task View.

Apple and Microsoft share a long history of borrowing ideas from each other to make their products better. While it may seem like a ripoff to many, at the end of the day, these trickeries are only going to enrich user’s computing experience.