Press event to unveil “Threshold” is set for the end of next month.
Update: A Microsoft executive in France has seemingly confirmed our Windows 9 suspicions — namely that the next OS will be shown off to the world next week. Microsoft France President Alain Crozier said in a livestreamed press event that Windows 9 would be coming in “the next few days.” ZDNet France picked up the story, and le président seemingly did not misspeak when using the phrase “Windows 9.”
Microsoft is insisting that the future of Windows does not have an official name, but it’s hard to backtrack when a high-level exec uses “Windows 9” for all the world to hear.
Our original report (see below) pegged September 30th as the Windows 9 presentation day, which would line up with Crozier’s comments during the livestream. While an actual release date is still up in the air, we are all but certain that the first official glimpse of “Threshold” is coming next week.
Original Story: The Verge is reporting that Microsoft’s next operating system will be shown at a press event on September 30th.
Windows 9, also known as Project Threshold, is the successor to the currently available Windows 8.1. Sources in the original report say that Microsoft could change the preview date, but the news aligns with earlier reports that a preview build of Win9 would hit before the end of 2014.
Like its predecessor, the core of Windows 9 would be used over several product categories, phones and tablets included. The desktop SKU will likely have a renewed focus on the mouse and keyboard interface, while still promoting the use of touchscreens.
Android and/or iOS loyalties aside, Windows Phone has grown into a strong mobile contender over the last few years, and the Metro UI used throughout Microsoft products is attractive on the right devices. One area that has been severely lacking, as many PC users will attest to, is desktop functionality. Non-touch PCs, especially of the gaming variety, are not built to use features introduced in Windows 8/8.1, leaving many KB+M fans in the lurch.
Also expected in Windows 9 is a revamped Start Menu, and perhaps an early desktop version of Cortana, Microsoft’s Siri-like, voice-activated digital assistant.
