14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has significantly improved language support in Windows 8.1, so the operating system can now be used in no less than 7,000 languages and 202 keyboard layouts.
That’s what the Redmond-based software giant said in a new blog post, pointing out that the new operating system makes it very simple for those who want to use multiple languages on a single PC.
“There are a lot of reasons you might use multiple languages on your Windows PC,” Microsoft’s Andrew Smith explained.
“Maybe you live in a country where multiple languages or dialects are spoken. Perhaps you IM with family in one language, and email coworkers in another. Or you’re a student studying a foreign language and you want to practice reading or writing in that language.”
By default, Windows 8.1 comes with support for 108 display languages, but with the help of downloadable packs, one can easily enhance the operating system by adding support for new ones.
“Included are several keyboards that were created by Microsoft before a standard keyboard layout was available, such as Sora and Gothic. And Windows is the only operating system with built-in text input and display support for languages like Xishuangbanna Dai, which is spoken by fewer than 1 million people in southern China,” Smith added.
At the same time, the software giant is also giving users the possibility to create their very own language packs in Windows 8.1, but it says that it’s also already working to add support for even more languages in the upcoming updates.
The first major pack of improvements that Windows 8.1 is going to receive is the so-called Update 1 prepared for April and expected to be offered free of charge to all those who have already updated to this operating system. Windows 8.1 Update 1 will be delivered via Windows Update to all users on April 8, according to existing reports.