14 DAY TRIAL // The lack of a Start button remains a very controversial aspect of Windows 8, even though one would expect to see everybody having already got used to the Start Screen now that five months have passed since the debut of the new OS.
But according to some new reports, Microsoft could use the upcoming Windows 8.1 to bring back the Start button, a feature that would basically help the operating system increase its sales significantly.
Forrester analyst J. P. Gownder advises the tech giant to relaunch the Start Menu as soon as possible, emphasizing that the success of its new software pretty much depends on this feature. In addition, Gownder explained that many are already using third-party Start buttons, so such an option would basically make things a lot easier for everybody.
“During the period when the Windows Store’s modern UI apps continue to grow in number and sophistication, Windows 8 users need to have the strongest possible Desktop Mode experience. Empowering users with familiar tools wouldn’t be a sign of surrender, but rather a sign that Microsoft listens to its customers,” he wrote.
If these rumors are true, Microsoft should provide users with a new Start button starting with Windows 8.1, the first refresh for Windows 8 that’s in the works right now and scheduled to go live this summer.
While the leaked preview versions didn’t feature such an option, sources familiar with the matter revealed that Microsoft was pondering the debut of two different tools that would basically better differentiate the touch-optimized Metro environment and the traditional desktop.
In addition to a reinvented Start button, Microsoft might also introduce dedicated configuration settings to allow users to boot directly to desktop and thus skip the “confusing” Start Screen which provides access to the installed Metro apps on any Windows 8 device.