KDE Plasma, one of the current top Linux desktop environments, has officially released version 6.6 into public beta. The new DE update features a number of user-facing and behind-the-scenes updates that should make a significant difference to end users. The first major change noted in the Plasma 6.6 update log is the addition of three new packages, plasma-login-manager, plasma-keyboard, and plasma-setup, and these new packages—except for the plasma-setup wizard—are related to KDE's move away from SDDM as the display manager. Starting with KDE 6.6, SDDM will be replaced by KDE's own Plasma Login Manager, which is slated to introduce a number of new features, including improved multi-monitor support, support for HDR, different keyboard layouts and layout switching, power profile management, and screen readers. Overall, the improvements in PLM alone are substantial, but that's not all that KDE Plasma 6.6 has in store for its users.

The full changelog is available on the KDE Wiki , but some of the highlights include saving a custom theme from current settings, connecting to Wi-Fi networks with a QR code, OCR in Spectacle, improved support for controllers as input devices in the KWin window manager, automatic brightness on devices with ambient light sensors, the implementation of the USB portal to allow sandboxed apps to access USB devices, and a host of accessibility options, like slow keys on Wayland and a monochrome filter. Performance and efficiency tweaks are also on the cards, with the new update promising reduced idle memory usage, a number of fixes for memory leaks, smoother animations on high refresh displays, and improved screen mirroring support. KDE Plasma 6.6 public beta can be downloaded from KDE.org . Although Plasma 6.6 is by definition an incremental upgrade, the number of changes present are promising, especially those related to the new login manager and the promised performance fixes. The full release for Plasma 6.6 is planned for February 17.