Microsoft Releases First Windows 8.1 FixesMicrosoft Releases First Windows 8.1 Fixes

10 Hidden Benefits of Windows 8.1

That didn't take long.

Microsoft last week rolled out its first round of bug fixes for Windows 8.1. The first update came less than a week after the new operating system debuted as a public preview and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer touted the company's commitment to quick releases. The company's quick strike seems to signal that Ballmer's plan, central to his larger "devices and services" vision, is rounding into shape.

Ongoing rumors of an imminent shake-up, further fueled by the departure of Xbox head Don Mattrick, suggest the CEO is charging forward, in any case.

Windows 8.1 has been relatively well-received. Several analysts have said that it has made the changes necessary to satisfy enterprise users. But as curious users dig into the Windows 8.1 preview, new concerns are already afoot. As much as Windows 8 is changing, it seems one thing might stay the same: Microsoft can't win for losing.

[ On the prowl for inexpensive Windows 8 software? See our slideshow, 8 Free, Must-Have Windows 8 Apps. ]

The company issued six updates to Windows 8.1. Two were designated "important" and the others were rated "recommended." One of the higher-priority updates installs a virus definition for Windows Defender, Win8's native security program. The other improves support for third-party programs such as AutoCAD and Parallels Desktop.

The "recommended" fixes address crashing Windows store apps, improve file downloads in Internet Explorer 11, expand app support for Google accounts, and enhance file stability. Preview users who have enabled automatic updates will not need to take any action. Otherwise, users can access the updates via the Updated & Recovery section of PC settings. In other news, Windows 8's native Photos app will evidently undergo some changes in Windows 8.1, and users aren't happy about all of them. The updated app includes new photo-editing tools but it also, at least in the preview version, removes the ability to store photos from sites such as Facebook and Flickr.

A preview user who spotted the change shared her experience on a Microsoft forum, and a company representative indicated in a reply that the omissions will be permanent.

"In Windows 8, we wanted to provide a way for folks to view their photos on other services knowing there would be few (if any) apps in the store at launch that would do so," the representative wrote. With a bigger app library that will soon include a native Facebook app, the posting continued, there will be many ways to store and view photos in Windows 8.1. The Photo app now longer needs to perform these functions.

In a way, it's ironic that Windows 8's native apps, which have been criticized as underdeveloped, were intended to compensate for a lack of third-party titles. Still, some participants in the Microsoft forum aren't satisfied with the company's response. A few expressed concern that Win8.1 would shift the platform from a content-centric mentality to an app-centric one.

While some users might be dismayed by the Photo app's evolution, others will be encouraged to learn that Windows 8.1 could make trackpads more useful. The Verge reports that Microsoft revealed its trackpad plans during a session at the company's Build conference, where the Windows 8.1 preview was introduced. Intel and several other companies are involved in the effort, which should translate into trackpads that support touchscreen-like operations, such as smooth scrolling, and better zooming and panning.

As OS X users are likely to point out, this sort of trackpad technology is already available in Apple's MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs, and even on Apple's desktops via an accessory. It's notable that Apple, despite leading the touch revolution with the iPhone and iPad, has been hesitant to integrate touchscreens into its traditional computers. The company has patents, most of which date back years, for touchscreen iMacs and a MacBook that turns into an iPad. But it has never appeared in a rush to deploy these technologies, and Windows 8 doesn't appear to have changed that.

Whatever the outcome, touchscreens and trackpads have so far represented a notable difference between Microsoft and Apple's respective strategies, and how they view the all-in-one market. This issue, the Photo app, and others will continue to develop as Microsoft updates the Win8.1 preview, and as user reactions continue to accumulate.

The final version of Windows 8.1 will be out before the end of the year, and devices with the new trackpad technology reportedly will arrive around the same time.