14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 8 isn’t selling very well right now, at least according to some analysts across the globe, but Microsoft continues to bet big on this heavily criticized operating system.
Bill Gates, on the other hand, says that Windows 8 is key to the future, hinting that many of the upcoming Microsoft products will actually be based on the new software.
“Here were a lot of amazing things that Steve's leadership got done with the company in the last year. Windows 8 is key to the future, the Surface computer. Bing, people are seeing as a better search product, Xbox,” he said in an interview with CBS News.
While Windows 8 is clearly essential for Microsoft’s future, we’ve also heard that Windows Blue, the first major refresh for this particular operating system, is going to spawn updates across the entire product range owned by the Redmond-based technology giant.
Windows Blue is very likely to bring significant changes not only to the Windows platform, but also to SkyDrive, Internet Explorer, Windows Phone and some other Microsoft products, as the company reportedly tries to unify these services.
What’s more, sources familiar with the matter have hinted that Windows Blue may actually be Microsoft’s first attempt to bring the large phone apps collection on the desktop version of Windows, as the lack of Modern apps remains one of the biggest setbacks of Windows 8.
Of course, these are all rumors, as Microsoft keeps everything secret, even though the company continues to look for software engineers that could help develop the new Windows Blue.
A recently published job listing confirmed that Microsoft is working on Windows Blue, while also revealing some important details about this major update.
The Start Screen will be available in Windows Blue too, but major UI changes are very likely, including significant modifications to the Metro interface.