Microsoft seems to produce a decent version of Windows with every other release - a bit like Star Trek films. We've had the highs of Windows XP, the lows of Windows Vista, up to the much-loved Windows 7 and then onto the maligned Windows 8. With the latest version of Windows failing to win over consumers, Microsoft is now planning a revamp of the OS with Windows 9, also known as Windows Threshold or simply 'Windows'.
In this article we're rounding up all of the release date, features, leaks and price rumours regarding Microsoft's next operating system, with the latest information at the top of the article, updated regularly to keep you up-to-date.
Release date
Microsoft will show off Windows 9 for the first time next week as it prepares to ditch Windows 8 for good. The project, known internally as Threshold, could see Microsoft ditch numbers altogether and simply call its new operating system Windows.
Rumours of an imminent unveiling were first reported last week, but have now been confirmed. Microsoft said it would be hosting an event in San Francisco on Tuesday 30 September, but stopped short of saying it would show the new version of Windows for the first time. Reuters reports that the event on Tuesday will offer the "first official glimpse" of the new Windows operating system.
Last week The Verge reported that Microsoft would reveal Threshold on 30 September. The event will give developers their first look at a redesigned Windows and put it to the test while the company finishes ironing out any remaining bugs before a worldwide launch in 2015.We don't know whether the developer preview will be made available directly after the event, but we suspect that will be the case.
This still means that we're unlikely to see a commercial release of Windows 9 until next year. Paul Thurrot has said that he expects Windows 9 to be put on sale in April 2015. According to this schedule, it's entirely possible that we'll see an early preview edition of Windows 9 this year, before the final release in 2015.
Windows 9 beta / technical preview
Microsoft has been working on technical previews of the next version of Windows, currently codenamed Threshold, for some time. According to ZDNet and its anonymous sources, anyone that installs the technology preview agrees to have updates automatically pushed to their computers, although new features expected to be announced at the company's reveal event, including the redesigned Start menu, have yet to be implemented on certain versions of the preview.
It's highly unlikely Microsoft will call the Windows technology preview Windows 9, as current rumours have all pointed towards Threshold being the preferred name for the early access release. It will probably only become Windows 9 when the company is ready to roll it out to the general public; developers will have to make do with Threshold until then. The version revealed to developers at the 30th of September event will likely include more up to date feature additions, including the new Start menu (shown on video below).
It might not be called Windows 9 at first, but the technology preview is still a clear sign that Microsoft wants to move past the embarrassment of Windows 8 and focus on its new operating system, hopefully wooing users back along the way. We're likely to see many of the new features listed below appear in the technology preview released after the reveal event, although they'll be works in progress and most-likely won't have the finished look-and-feel of the final Windows 9.
Goodbye Charms
Of all of the new features introduced with Windows 8, Charms have to be just about the worst. Rather than letting you simply print or email a file from within an application, Charms gave you the same features through a convoluted side-bar that you had to bring in from the right-hand side of the screen. It looks as though Microsoft has finally seen sense on this one and Windows 9 will ditch this feature completely, with current preview builds removing it in favour of more traditional menus and shortcuts built into the redesigned Start menu - more on that below.
A welcome return for the Start Menu
The good news is that Microsoft appears to be addressing one of the biggest issues with Windows 8 and is re-introducing the Start Menu. Screenshots leaked on MyCE.com appear to show a hybrid Start menu using elements from the old Windows 7 Start menu and the Start screen found in Windows 8. The column of icons on the left should feel familiar to anyone used to older versions of Windows, but the Modern UI Live Tiles on the right are pulled straight from Windows 8. With the same Calendar, Mail, People and News tiles as Windows 8 and 8.1, it doesn't appear much else will change in the next version of Windows, but Start Menu devotees should at least find it easier to access programs.
The screenshot shows that the OS is Windows 8.1, but this is likely because it's a very early preview, hacked on top of the current OS, rather than a proper Alpha release. There's still a small chance that the Start Menu will actually appear with the Windows 8.2 point release, but the screenshot gives us an idea of where Microsoft is going. If it does add the Start Menu into Windows 8.2 it will also give the company chance to get feedback, tweaking the system to make Windows 9 even better.
If still images weren't enough, a video posted by German website WinFuture shows the Start Menu in action. As well as moving Modern UI app shortcuts and their Live Tiles into the traditional Start Menu, Windows 9 appears to have moved account options to the top of the menu for locking or signing out of your PC or laptop. A button to the side will let you shut down or restart. The right section appears to be able to collapse, instead displaying multi-folder links like File Explorer and My Computer.
As more Modern UI apps and shortcuts are pinned to the Start Menu, it expands automatically across the screen. You can resize each icon just as you can currently on Windows 8, and there appears to be an option to switch between Start Menu and Start Screen depending if you're using a mouse and keyboard or a touchscreen. It's unclear if this will only be an option on laptops and tablets, or whether desktop users will still be able to access the Start Screen if they choose.
A proper desktop mode
Rather than forcing a mishmash of styles on people, it looks as though Windows 9 will have a proper desktop mode that full computers can boot into. Leaked screenshots have shown that the new Modern UI apps can now run in a windowed mode, letting those people using the desktop run the new apps, without having to switch to a touch-based interface.
There's likely to be a second version of Windows designed for touchscreen devices, which will boot into the Modern UI. This makes plenty of sense to us, and letting traditional desktop and laptop users have the interface they need and want should help win back a lot of people. According to a leak from WinBeta, these two versions of the operating system will be completely separate, with no access to the desktop for tablets or smartphones and no full-screen Start Screen for full PCs or laptops.
It's possible that both versions of the OS will have some kind of notification centre, however. This would put quick shortcuts to frequently used toggles in easy reach, similar to Windows Phone, but details are currently very scarce and it's unclear if the feature will be ready in time for the technology preview expected at the end of September.
Cortana built in
Cortana, Microsoft's digital personal assistant currently found on Windows Phone 8.1 devices, could be coming to desktops in Windows 9. Neowin says Cortana has now"graduated" from the experimental stage of Windows 9's engineering build to being part of a more stable release cycle. This means Cortana is becoming a more integral part of the operating system and is almost certain to launch alongside it when Windows 9 finally launches next year.
On the desktop, Cortana currently takes the form of an app that looks very similar to its smartphone interface on Windows Phone 8.1 devices. You can type in your question or ask it verbally, but Cortana will only take up roughly 25 per cent of the screen rather than the entire desktop, according to Neowin.
This is far from the fully-integrated service we've seen on Windows Phone 8.1, but it's still possible this could change in the final build. Microsoft has already said that Cortana is currently being updated at least twice a month, so there's plenty of time for Cortana to develop into a more all-encompassing service before Windows 9's expected release in April 2015.
Virtual Desktops
Microsoft is reportedly planning to add virtual desktops to Windows 9, further going after the desktop market that so wholeheartedly dismissed Windows 8. It's not exactly clear how the desktops will work, but it doesn't take a lot to guess, with both Ubuntu (and other flavours of Linux) and OS X already providing the feature. With this option, Windows 9 users will be able to have multiple desktops open at the same time, with a simple way to switch between then. It's a great productivity tool and something that Windows has been missing for a long time.
Easy Upgrades
Switching from one version of Windows to another can be a time consuming process, but according to Neowin that could change with Windows 9. Current builds of the operating system apparently have a one-button upgrade system that's much simpler than any version of Windows to date. Unfortunately it's not clear whether this will actually make its way to the public versions of Windows 9, but it would be a major step forward for the operating system - currently users run the risk of losing all their data if they fail to backup their hard disk and botch an install.
Price
With nothing confirmed, it's hard to work out just how much Windows 9 will cost. In all likelihood, the cost is likely to vary depending on whether you're upgrading from Windows 7/8 or buying it fresh. 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.
There have been some rumours, from Wzor, that Microsoft will offer a light-weight version called Windows Cloud, where the client would be free to download and everything else stored and run from online. This would be similar to Chrome OS works on a Chromebook. From the sounds of things, this version of Windows, if it exists, will be completely different to the full version of Windows 9 and possibly only loosely related.
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