14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 8.1 Update is expected to launch this month, but it appears that the software giant is planning to publish in on MSDN as soon as April 2. This means that MSDN subscribers could download it starting tomorrow, while everyone else might receive it on April 8.
Basically, Microsoft is trying to give subscribers the chance to try out Windows 8.1 Update before the BUILD 2014 developer conference kicks off and thus discuss the improvements it made to the operating system easier.
Of course, expect the official builds to reach the web soon after that, so although the public launch of the operating system update is expected to take place later this month, everyone should be able to download it very soon if they know where to look.
Even though Microsoft hasn’t publicly talked about Windows 8.1 Update until now, the company did mention that a spring update for its modern platform is coming, bringing improvements for the desktop and thus making the operating system more helpful on the traditional PC.
As for regular users, the software giant is expected to launch Windows 8.1 Update on April 8 via Windows Update, which would basically streamline the downloading and installation process and thus make everything easier for beginners and everyone else.
When Microsoft launched Windows 8.1 in October 2013, the company shipped the update via the Windows Store, but due to some compatibility issues with a number of hardware configurations, plenty of users were unable to get it. The problems took more than a few months to be addressed, so Microsoft is most likely trying to avoid similar problems this time by shipping the new OS update via Windows Update.
While the improvements will come in the form of MSU installers, people familiar with Microsoft’s plans said that stand-alone ISOs comprising all files and allowing a clean install will also be released. This basically means that you can install your operating system from scratch and thus remove the existing Windows installation, without the need for relying on Windows Update.
This would clearly come in handy to system administrators who are trying to deploy the new improvements on computers without a permanent or high-speed Internet connection, so Microsoft is probably making the right decision.
Of course, more details on Windows 8.1 Update are expected to surface in the coming hours, as Microsoft is getting ready to open the doors of this year’s BUILD developer conference.