14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is currently finalizing development of Windows 8.1 Update 1, the first major pack of improvements for Windows 8.1, and although it was previously thought that the public release could take place in April, it turns out that Redmond is actually planning to do this sooner.
A new report published by ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley and citing people familiar with the development process indicates that Windows 8.1 Update 1 could see daylight on March 11, with Windows Phone 8.1 to make its debut soon after that.
While there are absolutely no details regarding a potential second update for Windows 8.1, Microsoft is trying to fix many of the issues users reported in the operating system with this first update that’s also expected to pack performance optimizations to make the platform more reliable and user-friendly.
Unsurprisingly, March 11 is going to be a Patch Tuesday, the day when Microsoft rolls out updates for its software, including Windows, Office, and Internet Explorer.
Although it’s not yet confirmed, Windows 8.1 Update 1 is very likely to be delivered to users via Windows Update, which pretty much makes sense given the fact that so many people experienced issues with Windows 8.1 when trying to download it from the store.
Microsoft apparently wants to avoid similar problems this time by automatically shipping the pack via Windows Update, so user input would be minimal. Obviously, the update will be free for all those who installed Windows 8.1.
If March 11 is indeed the date when Windows 8.1 Update 1 would go live, it’s safe to assume that Microsoft wants to keep BUILD 2014, the developer conference taking place in April, for other major announcements, possibly regarding Windows 9.
Microsoft is very likely to break the news on Windows 9 at BUILD, while the public launch could take place one year later.