New features, specs, and pricing details of the new OS

Sep 23, 2014 15:41 GMT  ·  By

Steve Ballmer is no longer Microsoft’s CEO, but the rapid release cycle that he asked for when he was at the helm of the world’s number one software giant is still alive, so new Windows updates or big overhauls of the operating system are arriving at a really fast pace.

Windows 8 was officially introduced in October 2012, and despite the slow adoption figures recorded by this particular tablet and desktop platform, Microsoft continued to focus on large updates supposed to address most consumer complaints and thus make the operating system better for both PCs and touch-optimized devices.

Windows 8.1 was thus introduced one year later, in October 2013, bringing back a Start button, new improvements for the Start screen and several other new features, all developed to help everyone make the most of the modern platform no matter the device they were using.

That didn’t happen, however, and criticism was still fueled by disappointed users, so work continued on yet another update for the core Windows 8 OS.

Six months later, in April 2014, Microsoft officially introduced Windows 8.1 Update, a large pack of improvements that came to bring even more features to a heavily criticized operating system. Lots of options have been improved, including those in the Modern UI, but adoption of Microsoft’s modern platform remained low.

At this point, Windows 8 and 8.1 hold a combined market share of nearly 15 percent, clearly below expectations given the fact that the core OS was launched nearly two years ago.

Enter Windows 9. Following the same rapid release cycle, with a new update or OS released every six months, Microsoft is now getting ready to present the very first public beta of Windows 9, an operating system that’s not only supposed to fix many of the annoyances found in Windows 8, but also to change the public perception over modern Windows.

And to make sure that this goal is easily achieved, Microsoft has developed a long list of improvements for Windows 9, some of which could be part of the first beta due in early October.

UI updates

In terms of looks, Windows 9 Technical Preview, as the first beta is very likely to be called, won’t bring too many changes as compared to what you can see right now in Windows 8.

The same flat look with a few touches here and there will continue to be offered, but Microsoft has tried to make the whole experience a bit more pleasant by introducing some subtle changes which could really come in handy to lots of users.

Some of the icons could be tweaked to be flatter and get in style with the new design trend introduced by Windows 8, while the Start menu (yes, there’s going to be a Start menu) will change its colors depending on the Windows visual style you choose. For example, if you make Windows pink, the Start menu would adopt the same pink scheme, just to make sure that it fits your desktop.

Apart from this, the desktop will be almost identical with the one in Windows 8. However, the Charms bar will be removed from the desktop, so you’ll get a cleaner look supposed to bring enhancements in terms of productivity and workflow.

We’ve heard some people saying that Microsoft is also working to tweak the taskbar clock and introduce a few new options, but we can confirm that such a change is not yet visible in the testing builds of Windows 9. The clock looks exactly the same as in Windows 8, and at this point, there are absolutely no new customization options available.

New windows animations are also expected to be introduced to make opening and closing apps a bit more of an eye-catcher, but Aero won’t be coming back.

The Windows 7 visual effects aren’t part of Microsoft’s plans for Windows 9, and we’re hearing that the company is not even considering introducing such a feature in the upcoming operating system.

Apart from this, Windows 9 Technical Preview also includes some minor changes in terms of windows look, with other subtle tweaks currently visible in testing builds, including some refinements to the titlebar.

The Modern UI will be very similar to the existing version, and while we’ve heard people saying that interactive live tiles could be introduced, no such option exists in the current testing builds. Keep in mind, however, that Windows 9 is a work in progress and a lot could change until the final product comes out.

New features

This is the chapter where Windows 9 is very likely to impress most users. There are so many new features in Windows 9 that beginners might actually feel a bit overwhelmed, despite the fact that most are really intuitive and easy to use.

Microsoft has decided to make Windows 9 to address most consumer complaints that it received after the launch of Windows 8, but at the same time, to introduce a number of new features that it finds useful and which it thinks could help everyone get stuff done faster on a PC or tablet.

The Start menu is pretty much the star of the show, and if you’re installing Windows 9 beta on a PC, this is the first thing that you should see after booting for the first time. Microsoft is making the Start menu a default feature on PCs, while tablet users will continue to boot to the Start screen.

As shown at the BUILD 2014 developer conference in April, the Windows 9 Start menu will be more of a cocktail mixing modern elements and traditional features. You should still see a list of installed apps, shortcuts to access the Control Panel and other Windows features, but also live tiles that were until now available only on the Start screen.

Live tiles will be updated automatically and will display information provided by the app itself, including weather forecast, music playback info, or email details. The Start menu will expand as you add new live tiles, but a manual resizing option will also be offered.

Users who’ll want to stick to the Start screen will have an option to disable the Start menu in the taskbar properties screen, while a different setting will remove all live tiles and bring back the much cleaner and simpler look of the Windows 7 Start menu.

The Start menu will automatically match the color of the visual style applied in Windows and will also include options to quickly shut down, reboot, or search for files.

Windows 9 Start menu with live tiles
Windows 9 Start menu with live tiles

Multiple desktops will debut for the very first time as a Windows feature in the upcoming project, but at this point, it’s not yet clear whether Microsoft wants to make it available in the beta version or keep it locked until the stable product comes out.

The testing builds that have been submitted to partners and select users do have Windows 9 multiple desktops enabled, but sources say that Microsoft is still not sure whether this feature should be released to everyone or not.

The purpose of multiple desktops is to keep things organized and help users run specific apps on new desktops. A taskbar button will allow you to switch from one desktop to another, while a small “plus” button will give you the option to create a new one with just one click. Previews of each desktop will be offered in a similar way, with running apps in the classic ALT+Tab switcher.

Keyboard shortcuts for fast switching from one desktop to another are also expected to be offered, but in the existing builds functionality is still limited, as this is still a work in progress.

A new notification center will also be part of the upcoming release, and just like the multiple desktops tool, it’s not yet clear whether this could be included in the beta version of Windows 9 or not. Testing builds do have it, but the design seems rather unpolished and could be changed even more until the final build of Windows 9 comes out.

This feature is obviously supposed to help users stay up to date with what’s happening on their computers and will display information that is currently included in toast notifications. For example, you should be able to see Skype calls and messages, as well as Metro app updates and warnings.

Inspired from Windows Phone 8.1, the Windows 9 notification center uses a very simple design and can be launched from the System Tray. The white background is very likely to be offered in the stable version of Windows 9 as well, but it has been said that Microsoft could also introduce new options to quickly perform a number of actions from the notification center, such as answering Skype messages.

Windows 9 notification center in the System Tray
Windows 9 notification center in the System Tray

Cortana for PC will make its debut in the final version of Windows 9, but chances are that no such feature will be included in the preview build. The existing testing builds only come with a reminder that’s very likely to be further improved in order to become the full-featured desktop version of Cortana.

Sources from within the company told us that this is currently just an alpha version of Cortana for Windows 9 and the preview build of the OS could ship with it, but further improvements would be added at a later time as Microsoft readies new features.

Other Windows Phone 8.1 features will also make their way to the desktop, including Storage Sense and Wi-Fi Sense, with their purpose to be very similar to what we can find right now on smartphones. Both will give you an in-depth look at storage and Wi-Fi usage, respectively.

Internet Explorer 12 is probably one of the most exciting additions to Windows 9, but it won’t be part of the beta build. We’re hearing that this new version of the browser will be such a big overhaul of the application that Microsoft wants it to debut in the final build of Windows 9.

Features could include a revamped interface that would make it look more like Google Chrome, as well as support for extensions, an option that rival browsers have since a few years ago.

Windows 9 Technical Preview will ship with Internet Explorer 11, and the existing builds have the very same build of the browser that’s being offered to Windows 8.1 users.

The Charms bar will be removed from the desktop, but instead it will be integrated directly into Modern apps, which will also run in dedicated and resizable windows on the desktop. Microsoft will work closely with developers to include charms in their apps, sources say.

Since it’s going to be just a beta version of the operating system, Windows 9 Technical Preview will be first and foremost designed to help Microsoft collect feedback from users and discover new ways to improve the final version of the operating system.

As a result, feedback forms will be placed in most Windows sections, including the Start menu, and will pop out whenever you perform a certain task, such as searching the computer. Microsoft wants to collect information about pretty much every single thing you do on your PC and it’s safe to say that, since you install Windows 9 beta, you agree to be spammed with feedback requests.

Although some of you might think about ignoring these feedback requests, you shouldn’t do that. Word has it that Microsoft might actually use the feedback you send in order to create several user subsets that will get different updates as part of the beta program. As a result, users could actually receive different updates for their Windows 9 beta installation depending on their previous activity on the computer.

A built-in update system, independent from Windows Update, will also be included and will help Microsoft deliver new OS updates to each computer, without the need for a clean install. This is basically the best way to update a beta version of the operating system as soon as new features are ready, and Microsoft wants to use the information it collects from users to ship updates based on their activity and the aforementioned subsets.

Availability

There’s no doubt that although it’s going to be just a beta, Windows 9 Preview will be a very exciting product and many will give it a shot.

Microsoft will officially break the news on Windows 9 at a private press event on September 30, but sources say that the beta won’t be shipped to users during the same day.

While the company will indeed demo the new product at the press conference, no download will be made available, with public info to include a blog post and screenshots posted on the official sites.

Windows 9 Technical Preview will be released for download in early October, most likely in the first week of the month, and it will be free of charge for everyone willing to give it a shot.

Needless to say, Windows 9 Technical Preview will be a project under development, so you shouldn’t install it on your main computer and use it every day. The beta flag means that bugs, crashes, and performance issues are to be expected.

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