14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has started work on Windows 9 and the company itself confirmed this at the WPC 2014 conference this week, but there still are a few questions that make users wonder whether they should switch to Windows 8.1 right now or wait until early 2015 when a new full OS version comes out.
Straight from the rumor mill, here comes another set of information which could more or less reveal Microsoft's plans for the Windows platform.
Until now, things have been pretty clear: the Start menu and options to run Modern apps on the desktop weren't expected in Windows 8.1 Update 2, which should debut next month, but in Windows 9, which could clearly make the next full OS release a much more important unveiling.
It turns out, however, that Microsoft has yet to make a decision on this. Information comes from FaikeeF, who has a good track on future Windows details, says that Windows 9 and Threshold are actually two different projects that might hit the market at different times.
According to his own information, which we cannot tell for the time being if it is true or not, Windows Threshold could become a plan B for Windows 9 development. Redmond is working to implement the Start menu and options to run Modern apps on the desktop in Windows 9, but in the case of compatibility issues, which obviously cannot be prevented, the company might decide to introduce another Windows update.
Right now, between Windows 8.1 Update 2, due next month, and Windows 9, scheduled for early 2015, no other update is expected to be delivered, but it appears that everything depends on how well development of Windows 9 goes.
The aforementioned source says that Windows Threshold, which should not be confused with Windows 9, is more likely to be called Windows 8.2, especially because it could bring quite a lot of changes to users, including this new Start menu.
All these details make sense at some level since sources from within Microsoft previously said that both fall and spring updates for Windows 8.1 are prepared, but it remains to be seen if Threshold is indeed the version to bring back the Start menu.
Be mindful that there are a lot of rumors here and Microsoft doesn't wish to comment on such speculation, which means that our only option is to wait and see what happens on the Windows front.