Microsoft will stop releasing new Windows versions

May 10, 2015 07:07 GMT  ·  By

As we've reported to you this week, Windows 10 will help Microsoft finally make the jump to Windows as a Service, and instead of shipping new versions of the operating system every three years, it will focus on a continuous update system that will bring us new features and improvements more frequently.

The rolling release model hasn't been confirmed and detailed by Microsoft, but a company official has said this week that “Windows 10 is the last version of Windows,” hinting that this new approach is very likely to be adopted once the new OS is ready.

Now Microsoft watchers and analysts across the world who have been closely monitoring the company's latest moves claim that the software giant is indeed planning to go all-in on this new strategy, and Windows 10 will probably be the very last version of Windows.

No Windows 11

"There will be no Windows 11," Steve Kleynhans, a research vice-president at analyst firm Gartner, told BBC.

This might sound like Captain Obvious speaking, but there's certainly some wisdom behind these words. Kleynhans believes that this is a critical moment for Microsoft, as the software giant would go in a direction that was previously explored by other companies, such as Apple, but which might not be successful if something isn't done right.

Updates need to come at the right time and Microsoft shouldn't let users wait too long for improvements, as keeping computers fully up to date is critical. Just imagine what could happen if Microsoft promises to update PCs at a faster pace, but it doesn't release anything for one year.

But the strategy itself is a smart idea.

“Every three years or so Microsoft would sit down and create 'the next great OS'. The developers would be locked away and out would pop a product based on what the world wanted three years ago,” the analyst continued.

According to rumors, Windows 10 is very likely to receive its first major update in 2016, and some sources say that the company is internally calling it “Windows 10.1.” Details are obviously missing at this point, but more information should be provided very soon, once the new operating system is ready to ship.