14 DAY TRIAL // Believe it or not, but even though the desktop was the core of the Windows operating system when Microsoft brought it to life, future versions of the product might actually come without it, as the company is looking into ways to better address the existing market demands.
Last year when the first rumors regarding Windows 9 reached the web, there were some folks who said that Microsoft could actually remove the desktop in absolutely ALL versions of the operating system, pretty much because it’s ready to go all-in on touch and make the software fully-optimized for this input method.
Obviously, such a dramatic change in Windows was impossible, especially when talking about an operating system that ALSO needs to be installed on PCs where the mouse and the keyboard remain the core of everything. Not to mention that dumping the desktop entirely and go for a full-touch experience in Windows cannot be done right now and Microsoft would basically commit suicide by going into this direction.
But still, Windows 9 is going to bring some changes in this regard and the desktop will go away in some versions. The catch is that Microsoft has made the right decision, or at least this is what we can tell right now because we’re yet to see the operating system in action, but it appears that the desktop won’t exist in builds aimed at tablets.
As some might recall, back in October 2012 when Microsoft introduced the Surface RT, the device was marketed as the one device that brings the best of two different worlds: tablets because it’s a tablet, and laptops because it has a desktop and it lets you work just like you do on a notebook.
To make sure that everyone gives a try to the Surface RT desktop, Microsoft also decided to offer Office 2013 RT free of charge to all buyers, so creating or editing documents, spreadsheets and presentations was only possible from the desktop.
Two years and thousands of complaints later, Microsoft apparently got the right message and is fixing this in Windows 9. Working in Microsoft Office on such a small screen is possible, but it’s clearly not the most comfortable thing you want to do. I’ve tried that when I got my Surface RT and it took me a while not only to get used to the Touch Cover, but also to perform some simple tasks in MS Word on the 10.6-inch display.
So it’s pretty clear that the desktop doesn’t come as handy as Microsoft expected to Windows tablet buyers and the company decided to remove it. Together with the desktop, Microsoft also waves goodbye to Office 2013 and the desktop version of Internet Explorer, which are pretty much the only apps used on the mouse and keyboard-optimized UI of the tablet.
A backup plan does exist, however, and Microsoft is currently working to bring Office 2013 in the Modern UI with a touch-optimized UI. This means that although the desktop might not be there when you purchase the next Windows tablet, Office will survive, but only thanks to a new version that would run in the Metro UI.
Sources say that Office Touch could see daylight by the end of the year, and given the fact that Windows 9 is expected to debut in early 2015, this seems to be the perfect plan.
Even though there’s no indication that Microsoft will offer the touch version of Office free of charge to Windows tablet users, such a scenario is very likely, especially because the company wants to maintain this advantage in the fight against Android and iOS devices.
To be clear, the desktop will still be included in Windows 9, but only on devices where it actually makes sense. Every version of the operating system will be aimed at a specific type of device, so if for example you wish to install it on a PC, where working with a mouse and keyboard is vital, you get not only a desktop, but also some extra goodies to enhance productivity.
The Start menu is expected to be brought back in this Windows 9 SKU, while the Start screen could be disabled by default to allow users get the same familiar experience as in Windows 7.
In just a few words, the desktop will be there only IF you need it. This does make sense and there’s no doubt that Microsoft is learning from its own mistakes and makes giant steps in getting closer to users, but at the end of the day, there’s still one key question.
Where’s the power choice? Why not allowing customers to decide if they want a desktop in the Windows device they purchase?