14 DAY TRIAL // A batch of 20 screenshots allegedly showing Windows 9 in action leaked to the web yesterday, confirming that features such as multiple desktops and a notification center could indeed be part of the upcoming operating system.
Now we have finally gotten the very first video showing Windows 9’s Start menu in action, as Microsoft is expected to introduce this feature back in the next OS release and thus restore the full functionality of the desktop that was available until Windows 7.
Microsoft announced the return of the Start menu in April at the BUILD 2014 developer conference, but the company said at that time that the feature would return in a second Windows 8.1 update.
Plans have changed since then, and the Start menu is projected to make its public appearance in Windows 9 and most likely in the preview build that’s scheduled to see daylight this month.
Modern design and new features
As you can see for yourselves in the video below, the Start menu looks very similar to the concept presented by Microsoft at BUILD and mixes modern design elements, such as live tiles, with the standard layout available in Windows 7.
What’s more interesting, however, is that the Start menu could expand to the entire screen as you add new apps and live tiles, thus becoming more of a Start screen that can be easily accessed by clicking on the left bottom corner button.
A search box is also included in the Start menu and so is a list of desktop apps installed on your computer, so Windows 7 consumers should get used to this new design very fast.
The Start menu can be launched through a button placed in the left bottom corner that looks identically with the one that’s currently available in Windows 8.1 and helping users access the Start screen.
New behavior based on the device you’re using
Word is that Microsoft could tweak OS settings in Windows 9 in order to make the Start menu available only on devices that need them.
For example, PCs with a mouse and keyboard might come with the Start menu enabled by default, while tablets could instead boot directly to the desktop and stick to the Modern UI.
This way, Microsoft is attempting to make its operating system better for every single device out there, but at the same time, the company is also working to implement new options and give users more choices to decide what they want and need.
Windows 9 Preview is scheduled to go live later this month, while the stable build should be launched in early 2014, most likely in April.
