Redmond is yet to reveal the name of the first Windows 8.1 pack of improvements

Mar 6, 2014 07:06 GMT  ·  By

It’s no secret that Microsoft is working on a major set of improvements for Windows 8.1, but while the entire world calls it Windows 8.1 Update 1, it appears that Redmond has prepared a different designation of the new release expected to see daylight in just a month.

According to leaked documentation that was published by BAV0.com, Microsoft is referring to the upcoming Windows version as “Windows 8.1 Update” and doesn’t use designation that we’ve seen in the past weeks, such as “Windows 8.1 Update 1,” Spring Update” or even “Feature Pack.”

While the chosen designation is not at all surprising, it could also be an indication that this might be the only major update that Windows 8.1 is expected to get, so Microsoft might then get straight to the full OS version allegedly called Windows 9.

Microsoft has until now called the upcoming release “Spring update,” but again, it’s not clear whether this is just an internal codename or the official designation when the product will hit the market.

As usual, Microsoft isn’t willing to comment on these reports, but expect more information to be provided in the coming weeks as we move closer to the public launch expected to take place in April.

People close to the matter have previously hinted that Windows 8.1 Update 1 is expected to launch on MSDN on April 1 or 2 in order to give developers a chance to try it out before the debut of the BUILD 2014 conference which kicks off on April 2.

End users, on the other hand, are reportedly scheduled to receive the update via Windows Update on April 8, the same as when the software giant is rolling out Patch Tuesday improvements for several products across its range.

Windows 8.1 Update 1, if it’s indeed going to be called this way, will be offered free of charge to all those already running Windows 8.1, and as compared to the first Windows 8 update, it’s not going to be delivered to users via the Windows Store.

Instead, everyone will be able to get it straight through Windows Update, which means that the entire process should be a lot faster and easier, as user interaction would basically be minimal. Windows 8.1 Update 1 might also be released for download separately as part of MSU files that would allow system administrators to install it on computers without Internet access.