Although Microsoft is releasing
incremental updates to Windows 8, which are intended to address common complaints
and problems about the OS, what most of us want to know is: when can we expect Windows
9? After all, the theory about Microsoft’s operating systems is that they’re
alternately good and bad, so after Windows XP (great), Vista
(awful), 7 (super) and 8 (boo!), we’re surely due a treat.
Current rumors suggest that a
public preview of Windows 9, currently codenamed Threshold, is likely to appear
in October, ahead of the full release next spring - most likely in April. Fixes
would match the schedule used by Windows 8, which was released in October 2012,
six months after its public preview.
If the speculation is correct,
then Windows 9 will undo some of the mistakes made by its predecessor. These
include restoring the Start menu, following widespread demand; offering a
proper Desktop mode, rather than just letting you skip the Start screen; and
scrapping the Charms bar, at least in the desktop version of the OS. On
touchscreen devices, where its swipeable
features and tappable apps make more sense, the Modern interface is likely to
remain.
With nothing confirmed, it’s hard
to work out just how much Windows 9 will cost. In all likelihood, the price is
likely to vary depending on whether you're upgrading from Windows 7 or 8 or buying
it fresh. It’s even possible it could be offered as a free upgrade to users
who have bought a new PC within the last six months, as Windows 7 was to Vista
users. That said, Windows 8 Home (the full version) currently retails for
around £90 in the UK, so we’d expect Windows 9 to cost a similar amount.
