14 DAY TRIAL // There’s no doubt that Windows 9 is one of the most awaited Windows versions ever, not only because of Windows 8’s failure to meet expectation, but also following rumors pointing to pretty big changes as far as features and usability are concerned.
Now a new post published by an alleged Microsoft employee and translated by Faikee, who already has a good track on providing us with accurate details on future Windows projects, reveals that Windows 9 is very like to come with what’s being called Metro 2.0, an improved version of the Modern UI that would feature several new options.
No specifics have been provided on this revised Metro environment, but some concepts published in the past by the Microsoft Research unit revealed that Redmond was working on interactive tiles that could deliver more information on the Start screen and let users perform specific tasks faster.
At the same time, the post confirms that Windows 9 Preview indeed exists and could be launched very soon, while also adding that Microsoft is currently testing 3 different activation systems in order to strengthen protection and fight piracy in a more effective way.
Again, no details have been provided, but it appears that Microsoft could in the end develop a mix of three current systems.
Cortana for Windows 9 is also said to be part of existing testing builds of the operating system, but only special teams are getting access to it. General testers are only getting the standard build without Cortana, so it’s pretty clear that Microsoft wants to make sure that no one leaks this feature to the web in the coming months, as work is still said to continue.
What’s more, it appears that Microsoft is also improving the refresh and reset options in Windows 9, but it’s not yet clear whether the company is trying to add new features, or it only wants it to work faster than it currently does in Windows 8.
The full version of Windows 9 is expected to launch in April 2015, but a preview build could be released as soon as next month. There are signs that Windows 9 could also be free for a number of existing Windows users, including those running XP, Vista, and 7.
Of course, this could be quite great news for those on Windows, but it remains to be seen whether Windows 9’s hardware requirements will be low enough to not require new upgrades.