Over time, the 'Plex' theme was updated, the earliest 'Windows Aero' glass borders (though technically not true Aero) were introduced, the glossier 'Slate' theme replaced the Plex theme, and finally complete Aero effects were introduced in Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer via the Desktop Window Manager (though a registry modification was needed to make the OS's entire UI Aero).

Frutiger Aero has its roots in 2003 to 2004 builds of Microsoft's Windows Longhorn (later renamed Windows Vista).