Windows 9, April 2015

[Arthur]

Source: WinSupersite

 

At the BUILD developer conference in April 2014, Microsoft will discuss its vision for the future of Windows, including a year-off release codenamed "Threshold" that will most likely be called Windows 9. Here's what I know about the next major release of Windows.

 

Windows 9. To distance itself from the Windows 8 debacle, Microsoft is currently planning to drop the Windows 8 name and brand this next release as Windows 9. That could change, but that's the current thinking.

 

BUILD vision announcement. In case it's not obvious that the Sinofsky era is over, Microsoft will use BUILD to provide its first major "vision" announcement for Windows since, yes, Longhorn in 2003. Don't expect anything that grandiose, but the Windows team believes it needs to hit a happy middle ground between the KGB-style secrecy of the Sinofsky camp and the freewheeling "we can do it all" days that preceded that. As important, the firm understands that customers need something to be excited about.

 

No bits at BUILD. Microsoft will not be providing developers with an early alpha release of "Threshold" at BUILD, and for a good reason: The product won't even begin development until later that month. Right now, Microsoft is firming up which features it intends to deliver in this release.

 

Metro 2.0. Maturing and fixing the "Metro" design language used by Windows will be a major focus area of Threshold. It's not clear what changes are coming, but it's safe to assume that a windowed mode that works on the desktop is part of that.

 

Three milestones. Microsoft expects to deliver three milestone releases of "Threshold" before its final release. It's unclear what these releases will be called (Beta, Release Candidate, etc.) or which if any will be provided to the public.

 

April 2015 release. Microsoft is currently targeting April 2015 for the release of Windows 9 "Threshold."

 

Also...

 

Windows 8.1 Update 1 reportedly arriving via Windows Update, not via the Windows Store « WinBeta

 

According to details from WZOR, a Microsoft leaker, and corroborated by long-time Microsoft insider Paul Thurrott, the company will be rolling out Windows 8.1 Update 1 RTM in March of this year. General availability of the update will be in April, just in time for the BUILD Developer conference taking place between April 2nd and April 4th.

 

However, one of the most important tidbits revealed by WZOR include the idea that Microsoft will roll out this update not via the Windows Store, rather, via the old-fashioned Windows Update. Available to current Windows 8.1 users as a free update, the means of acquiring said update will be improved compared to Windows 8.1's initial roll out.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Arthur

[Michael]

All the more reason not to deploy Windows 8 then!

 

I find this quote interesting:

Windows 9. To distance itself from the Windows 8 debacle, Microsoft is currently planning to drop the Windows 8 name and brand this next release as Windows 9. That could change, but that's the current thinking.

 

I question whether Microsoft will create a new brand name and drop 'Windows 9' as the final product name? Time will tell!

[Michael]

I think the Microsoft naming of patches/updates will just get forever more confusing!

 

Windows 8

Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 Update 1

 

Just call it 8.2, 8.3 etc... if you're going to release Windows 9 next year!

[Arthur]

I think the Microsoft naming of patches/updates will just get forever more confusing!

The upgrade process is a bit convoluted if the rumour above is true.

 

[b]Windows 8[/b] » [b]KB2871389[/b] (Windows Update) » [b]Windows 8.1[/b] (Windows Store) » [b]Windows 8.1 Update 1[/b] (Windows Update?)

 

If Microsoft make Windows 9 free for consumers (like Apple has done with Mavericks) or free for people already running Windows 8/Windows 8.1 then there's a chance they might make it available through the Windows Store.

 

[b]Windows 8[/b] » [b]KB2871389[/b] (Windows Update) » [b]Windows 8.1[/b] (Windows Store) » [b]Windows 8.1 Update 1[/b] (Windows Update?) » [b]Windows 9[/b] (Windows Store?)

 

Just call it 8.2, 8.3 etc...

Update 1 wouldn't be a major update, so they can't call it 8.2.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Arthur

[FN-GM]

Slow down!!! We can't keep up!!!

[Vasriel]

Here we go again, will Windows 9 be the new Windows 7?

[Simcfc73]

Here we go again, will Windows 9 be the new Windows 7?

 

Prefer it to be like 7.1 rather than 8.3.6.5.3

[Gatt]

So we should expect Windows 8.x to join the ranks of ME and Vista then I assume?

[Arthur]

So we should expect Windows 8.x to join the ranks of ME and Vista then I assume?

As with Vista (SP2 onwards), Windows 8.1 ain't as bad as people make it out to be.

[Dos_Box]

Won't somebody think of the Start Menu/desktop!!!!

[sparkeh]

Won't somebody think of the Start Menu/desktop!!!!

Previous rumours for "Threshold" suggest that the Start Menu will make a comeback.

[3s-gtech]

As with Vista (SP2 onwards), Windows 8.1 ain't as bad as people make it out to be.

 

Agreed on both counts.

[Arthur]

Previous rumours for "Threshold" suggest that the Start Menu will make a comeback.

It will be interesting to see if the Start Menu is an Enterprise only feature.

[Gatt]

Won't somebody think of the Start Menu/desktop!!!!

 

I hope the SM gets a rebirth!

The Desktop isn't so bad

 

But most of all I want TIFKAM to be taken out back and have every pixel, every line of code shredded so it can darken our devices again....

[FN-GM]

Previous rumours for "Threshold" suggest that the Start Menu will make a comeback.

 

I would like to see the option between Metro and the start menu, but i seriously doubt it.

[Gatt]

I would like to see the option between Metro and the start menu, but i seriously doubt it.

 

Metro => Touch devices only

They did this with XP and called it Tablet PC...

[sparkeh]

I would like to see the option between Metro and the start menu, but i seriously doubt it.

Well if the rumours are to be believed then there will be 3 versions, Desktop with start menu, Tablety version more like current Win 8 with Metro style interface and a Win Phone/RT hybrid.

But yeah, currently just rumours.

[john]

Won't somebody think of the Start Menu/desktop!!!!

 

Please I hope they do as I need a start menu as toucheyness is great for touchey things not laptops that are non-touch and desktops that are non touch. Oh and can we have a real interface back on Server OS as well as we all run touchscreen KVMs right..?

[Arthur]

Previous rumours for "Threshold" suggest that the Start Menu will make a comeback.

Prepare to be disappointed!

 

Windows 9 rumor mill heating up, heading for an April 2015 arrival « Ars Technica

 

So what'll be in Threshold? The two things Thurrott says are a way of running Metro apps on the desktop and a reinstatement of the Start menu. Our sources say that's only sort of true, and that it won't be the Start menu as such but rather something new. Start menuesque, perhaps, but not a literal Start menu.

 

Perhaps the "Start Menu" will simply be a Start Screen that doesn't take up the entire screen (similar to the mockup below)?

 

[free780]

I think start menu is just in the enterprise sku if the rumor mill is true.

[Gatt]

I think start menu is just in the enterprise sku if the rumor mill is true.

That's not going to make the General Consumer very happy if that is the case!

I can see a mass take up of Linux / OSX if they limit the SM to Businesses only..

[gshaw]

Would it be so hard to include it in both SKUs as an option so *shock horror* people can choose what they want to use?!

 

If it means I get my Start Menu jump lists back I'll be happy

 

The arrogance MS showed in some of the Win8 UI design decisions is where they really wound people up in the last year or two. Maybe that's the Sinofsky influence but what Windows always gave you was flexibility, if you want a limited experience and being told what to do and how to so it you go for Apple (and so it proved with 8.0 flopping and 8.1 giving some choice back)

 

The phone / RT platform sounds a bit odd, will developers really go for yet another OS if MS do a clean sweep on mobile again after WP7.5, 8 and RT unless it's app-compatible with a least one of them?

Edited January 14, 2014 by gshaw

[Gatt]

Would it be so hard to include it in both SKUs as an option so *shock horror* people can choose what they want to use?!

 

If it means I get my Start Menu jump lists back I'll be happy

 

The arrogance MS showed in some of the Win8 UI design decisions is where they really wound people up in the last year or two. Maybe that's the Sinofsky influence but what Windows always gave you was flexibility, if you want a limited experience and being told what to do and how to so it you go for Apple (and so it proved with 8.0 flopping and 8.1 giving some choice back)

 

Totally agree here, as I've said countless times, "Metro/Modern/Hell" should have been done as a separate SKU - similar to XP's "Tablet Edition".

It should have been a set of features automatically enabled upon the presence of a Touch-screen and user's should have been able to enable/disable that feature on non touchy-feely devices. We had a similar arrangement with Windows 7 with Mobility Centre - It was automatically enabled for certain devices and not enabled for others..

 

Hopefully, MS will listen to consumers this time and design some form of SM that is practical and functional, Doesn't need to look like its predessors, but update it for Win9/Modern whilst keeping Win7's functionality.

[Quackers]

That's not going to make the General Consumer very happy if that is the case!

I can see a mass take up of Linux / OSX if they limit the SM to Businesses only..

 

 

Its already happening, all my mates and lot of work collegues / famley have all switched to OSX in the last 2 years. Im seeing it more and more, and The Register reported last week that 25% of Cisco staff now run Mac OS, and that corpoate adoption is gaining base due to the effect of liking iPads, Google have somthing like 42,000 staff or 9x% running Mac OS. Microsoft are being attacked on all sides at the moment.

[tmcd35]

I'm wondering if there's anything MS can do now to distance any future version of Windows from Windows 8. And I'm not certain a "Windows 9" release will revive Microsoft's fortunes. I'd give up of any real hope that the start menu will be properly fixed. At least in the consumer space they are too tied in to Metro - XB1, Surface, Phone.

 

Microsoft's problem is the two markes, business and consumer, it successfully brought together in Windows XP (in fact the trend started before Windows 3.1 as consumers bought PC's instead of Amiga's and ST's) is now splintering again. Microsoft are left with a single product that used to satisfy the needs of both markets and it now needs to decide which of the two are more important or completely split the OS. Windows 8 would suggest they're choosing the consumer space over their bread and butter business space.

 

A year's a long time in IT. What will consumer IT look like in April 2015? Is there a large enough space between Android and iOS, given another year of developments, for Windows? Also can business afford to wait another year for MS to get their act together? With XP support now over, business are probably looking at future developments more closely now. What is the road map once Win7 support is up? A another year is a long time to wait to see if MS have a suitable answer.

 

I wonder if there is anything Google can do to Android in the next year or so to make it more business friendly? I'd say the timing would be perfect for it.