Microsoft might stop releasing stand-alone OSes after Windows 9

Sep 11, 2014 12:49 GMT  ·  By

A bunch of leaked screenshots that have reached the web earlier today show quite a lot of features that could be part of Windows 9, but at the same time, they might also serve as living proof that Microsoft might stop releasing stand-alone operating systems after April 2015.

Reports that came out last week indicated that Microsoft could be trying to fight confusion created among its operating systems with the help of a different naming strategy that would drop the numbering system from Windows’ name.

This means that Windows 9 might actually hit the market as Windows, with people close to the matter indicating that Redmond could use this operating system to put an end to stand-alone releases in favor of large OS updates.

While this is yet to be confirmed, such speculation does make sense especially because Microsoft is currently selling three different versions of its modern operating system, aimed at different devices and with different names: Windows for PCs, Windows Phone for smartphones, and Windows RT for tablets.

“Windows” is almost here

The screenshots that have gotten leaked earlier today come with a new watermark, which could indicate that Microsoft might indeed launch Windows 9 just as Windows.

The allegedly leaked build is called “Windows Technical Preview” and not “Windows 9 Technical Preview” or “Windows Threshold Technical Preview,” as it was previously rumored, which could be indeed a sign that a different naming system might be adopted for Microsoft’s operating systems.

At this point, it’s not yet clear whether these screenshots are legitimate or not, but even if they’re not, seeing the new software hitting the shelves as Windows wouldn’t be such an unexpected decision.

As you can see for yourselves in the Windows 9 leaked screenshots, the testing build appears to bring quite a lot of new features, including a Start menu, a notification center, multiple desktops, and options to run Metro apps right on the desktop.

A new name could lead to even more confusion

The biggest risk in case of a common Windows name for all versions is the confusion that could plague the operating system lineup.

Windows 8 and Windows RT have already caused such problems to Microsoft, with many buyers choosing the RT flavor of the operating system, hoping to get full Windows functionality on their desktops.

Windows RT is instead a stripped-down version of Windows, aimed at devices with ARM processors, so it cannot run applications that are designed for x86 and x64 processors.

The Windows designation could thus lead to even more confusion among buyers who might expect to get the full operating system from an RT tablet, so Microsoft clearly needs to find a way to better make a difference between these versions.