Overview
- Microsoft replaced the long‑running Preview Channel with an Insiders Channel for side‑by‑side early builds and a faster feedback loop.
- AI is woven into the workflow, with Copilot Free included and features such as adaptive paste, a profiler copilot agent, and URL context for chat.
- The preview exposes model choice so developers can select LLMs and supply their own API keys for providers including Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI.
- Early reports and Microsoft highlight speed gains for opening solutions, building, debugging, and branch switching across x64 and Arm64 Windows.
- The update brings a Fluent UI redesign with new themes, JSON‑based settings and broader code coverage access, while some extension authors caution that the main process still runs on the legacy .NET Framework and no GA date has been announced (with press expecting timing near .NET 10).