Mark your calendars for Windows 8.1!

I know a lot of folks are eager to find out when they will be able to get Windows 8.1. I am excited to share that starting at 12:00am on October 18th in New Zealand (that’s 4:00am October 17th in Redmond), Windows 8.1 will begin rolling out worldwide as a free update for consumers on Windows 8 through the Windows Store. Windows 8.1 will also be available at retail and on new devices starting on October 18th by market. So mark your calendars!



Windows 8.1 continues the vision we began with Windows 8 and is an example of our commitment to continuous innovation and improvement for our customers. And Windows 8.1 brings many improvements in areas like personalization, Internet Explorer 11, search which is powered by Bing, built-in apps including a few new ones, an improved Windows Store experience, and cloud connectivity with SkyDrive (and much more) that people will enjoy. If you haven’t already, you can give many of the new features and improvements in Windows 8.1 a try with the Windows 8.1 Preview. Business customers can begin testing Windows 8.1 for deployment in their environments with the Windows 8.1 Enterprise Preview.

Now is a great time to buy a Windows 8 device in a range of different form factors like Microsoft Surface, the Acer Iconia W3, the Lenovo Yoga 11s, the Toshiba KIRAbook or the Dell XPS 18 . For students going back to school, we have Windows Chip-in which is a crowdsourcing program to help students and parents purchase a new Windows device for school. And the Windows Store Only at Best Buy store-within-a-store experiences will be launching throughout August and September, just in time for the back-to-school shopping season to check out all the latest Windows devices! If you buy a Windows 8 device today, you can look forward to the new features and improvements from Windows 8.1 in October.

It’s very exciting to be delivering Windows 8.1 to consumers just before Windows 8 celebrates its 1-year anniversary. You can expect to read more from us on Windows 8.1 leading up to availability on October 18th!

More...

 

[Wenda]

Well, frankly, without an ISO, it's no use to me at all.

I am NOT going to attempt to 'upgrade' through the Store.

In fact, due to my slow and limited connection, it won't even be downloaded using this machine.


Wenda.

 

[Explorertml]

You never know, there might be even more METRO in 9.

It depends, if MS are able to shift 8.1 , through whatever means they can - they will keep building the metro monster.

If the public are able to reject it, then MS will have to think again.

Well if that the case and Microsoft keep on or playing the metro UI game and making future Windows OS's with the Metro UI useless crap like windows 8 and windows 8.1, I just have to say its just of matter of time that Microsoft will follow the same steps like BlackBerry did and that will only lead straight to the ground...

Like the word is said for the last year, for BlackBerry RIP, RIM/BlackBerry and at this time and what is going on at BlackBerry today no one is sure, its up for sale at this time, and Forbes has reported if RIM/BlackBerry to turn it around they BlackBerry will not be around in year 2014 to 2015 they will completely be gone within that time frame...

Just give it time Microsoft can and will face the same problems and issues like RIM/BlackBerry did if they don't get it right and hear what all the users and mainstream enterprise users if they don't turn it around with Windows 9 or Windows 10, within the next 2 to 5 years, we all can start Kissing Microsoft Goodbye and RIP...

(YOU CAN MARK THAT FACT DOWN ON ALL OF YOUR CALENDARS)

 

[theog]

There has never been an ISO download version for OEM manufacturer's Pre-installed Windows PC's.

So basically it's the same as downloading a Service Pack and installing it?

Like others have said, I'll do a clean install off the retail OEM DVD for Win8 Pro, then download 8.1 from the Windows Store.

So I guess to get the download you have to sign in with a Microsoft Account, not a local account.

Only done one Windows 8.1 Preveiw upgrade from the store, no Microsoft Account need. Three upgrades with the ISO.

 

[Hopachi]

I will be sticking with Windows 7 until Windows 9 comes into the market in 2015

But you take that decision blindly. We don't know yet how 9 will be.


What if the changes will be worse for you? Transitioning from 7 to something new will be hard either way.
Hope: that is the word, you hope that 9 will be the "savior from the prophecy".

Maybe 8.2 comes as well...


Good luck

 

[paulsalter]

Seen a few people mention that it has been a slow download

I am on slow BB so wondering what the size is for this, on a good day I can download about 1 GB/hour

Thanks

 

[Explorertml]

I will be sticking with Windows 7 until Windows 9 comes into the market in 2015

But you take that decision blindly. We don't know yet how 9 will be.


What if the changes will be worse for you? Transitioning from 7 to something new will be hard either way.
Hope: that is the word, you hope that 9 will be the "savior from the prophecy".

Maybe 8.2 comes as well...


Good luck

Well we have to wait and see, that's for the folks at Microsoft to decide and if they want to keep their current jobs in the future...

If MS blows it with the new Windows 9 that is in the works at this time there are reports all ready the Windows 9 is being built as we speak, and my point here again is, if Windows 9 still has the Metro UI crap on it, this time around we all can start kissing MS goodbye and RIP within 2015 to 2017

MS Cannot and wont survive if Windows 9 is contaminated with Metro UI, that will be back to back disaster for MS and MS is starting to really hurt at this time...

One more or two more major mistakes Microsoft Corp, will be Beside RIM/BlackBerry and down and out

 

[Hopachi]

Seen a few people mention that it has been a slow download

I am on slow BB so wondering what the size is for this, on a good day I can download about 1 GB/hour

Thanks

Different versions have different sizes (ie. language is different and atchitecture).

A ISO will be around 2.6GB for 32bit and 3.3GB for 64bit.

If you upgrade through the Store it will be a bit more, around 4.5GB, since the files are extracted already and extra config files for your machine and OS get generated as well.

 

[alphanumeric]

That will suck if you can't get an ISO to do a clean install with! I did the store upgrade once on my laptop. It appeared to go OK but I had some issues after that. My wireless connection got flaky and unreliable. mouse/touchpad had the same issue. It would gust stop and refuse to work, after a couple of minutes it would work again. Wash rinse repeat, . I reinstalled drivers etc but in the end I just reinstalled 8 to get back to a stable system. I have an MVP MSDN/TechNet subscription so I should be covered and be able to do a clean install next time around when it becomes final.

 

[DavidY]

There has never been an ISO download version for OEM manufacturer's Pre-installed Windows PC's.

True enough... and also I imagine that the OEMs who've sold Windows 8 PCs wouldn't want people to clean install 8.1 over all their lovely bloatware.

Secondly, and I have more sympathy here, if everyone upgrade installs from 8 to 8.1 then things like the manufacturers' recovery partitions will be left intact, so from the OEM point of view, support for PCs sold with Windows 8 (which will all eventually need to end up running 8.1) is much easier than if people start wiping partitions away.

 

[Cr00zng]

My laptop runs W8.1, no W8.0 license. Is there any word on the pricing for the retail version of W8.1 Professional?

 

[Cr00zng]

Just give it time Microsoft can and will face the same problems and issues like RIM/BlackBerry did if they don't get it right and hear what all the users and mainstream enterprise users if they don't turn it around with Windows 9 or Windows 10, within the next 2 to 5 years, we all can start Kissing Microsoft Goodbye and RIP...

(YOU CAN MARK THAT FACT DOWN ON ALL OF YOUR CALENDARS)

Yeah, I've been hearing these kind of predictions for at least 15 years by now, mainly coming from the Linux crowd. The chances are that there's no need to mark anything on the calendar...

 

[Dave44]

Hi Everyone,

I wont be touching or have anything to do with Windows 8.0 or this new Windows 8.1

I will be sticking with Windows 7 until Windows 9 comes into the market in 2015

and windows 9 will be more alike windows 8 than 7

 

[Explorertml]

Just give it time Microsoft can and will face the same problems and issues like RIM/BlackBerry did if they don't get it right and hear what all the users and mainstream enterprise users if they don't turn it around with Windows 9 or Windows 10, within the next 2 to 5 years, we all can start Kissing Microsoft Goodbye and RIP...

(YOU CAN MARK THAT FACT DOWN ON ALL OF YOUR CALENDARS)

Yeah, I've been hearing these kind of predictions for at least 15 years by now, mainly coming from the Linux crowd. The chances are that there's no need to mark anything on the calendar...

It is what it is! lets wait and see! but keep in mind when Wall Street starts to talk negative about any company there will always be a fall out, and Wall Street has be talking for the last 2 years that Microsoft could and will go straight down in a tail spin if they don't get it together and start listening to users across the board...

Forbes and other financial watch dogs also agree that Microsoft will not be around in the next 3 to 5 years if they keep up this pace of trying to kill the desktop PC...

 

[Explorertml]

Hi Everyone,

I wont be touching or have anything to do with Windows 8.0 or this new Windows 8.1

I will be sticking with Windows 7 until Windows 9 comes into the market in 2015

and windows 9 will be more alike windows 8 than 7

Cross your fingers and knock on wood that's not the case, or we all will be screwed at the end of the day...

And if that's the case MS will need to keep support alive for the next 25 years for Windows 7, or will be buried in the very near future...

Apple is now talking about writing an PC OS, lets wait and see, and so is Google writing as we speak 2 PC Platforms 1 is in current testing and the 2nd one is on the also for testing and what I heard its a mix of Windows XP and Windows 7

If that's the case, its all good and wonderful news for the battle of Operating Systems, and lots of money to be made when more companies jump and take the ball off Microsoft where it seems they have dropped it way too many times...

Lets wait and see, Apple has hired a few old Software Engineers who walked from Microsoft, and Google is in talks again in hiring Mr Steven Sinofsky, and some other dudes who walked always from the Windows team in the last 7 years

 

[Explorertml]

Hi there,

There will be very Interesting times ahead for Microsoft and within the Entire IT Word...

People don't listen at all to Microsoft and selling you/us garbage that's all Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 is and has been...

In the near future there will be other software giants in the likes or Apple, Google, Adobe, Compuware, and many others picking up the pieces and running away with the ball that Microsoft did drop, and MS would like to pull off and start changing the Personal Computer standard (good luck to them and that will never happen)

Psssssst just an insiders tip! There is and has been lots of open eyes watching Microsoft hang themselves for sometime know and don't be surprised one day another King of the Hill will come and be Crowned to take Personal Computers into the 21st Century without changing but Improving the Operating System Standard, and keeping far away from this Metro UI crap...

 

[labeeman]

Just give it time Microsoft can and will face the same problems and issues like RIM/BlackBerry did if they don't get it right and hear what all the users and mainstream enterprise users if they don't turn it around with Windows 9 or Windows 10, within the next 2 to 5 years, we all can start Kissing Microsoft Goodbye and RIP...

(YOU CAN MARK THAT FACT DOWN ON ALL OF YOUR CALENDARS)

Yeah, I've been hearing these kind of predictions for at least 15 years by now, mainly coming from the Linux crowd. The chances are that there's no need to mark anything on the calendar...

You missed the mark on the calendar because Linux and Unix has more than 80% of the mobile market with the desktop market slowly following as more users get used to Linux that is the reason M$ is in a panic right now betting the farm on Windows RT.

 

[Explorertml]

Just give it time Microsoft can and will face the same problems and issues like RIM/BlackBerry did if they don't get it right and hear what all the users and mainstream enterprise users if they don't turn it around with Windows 9 or Windows 10, within the next 2 to 5 years, we all can start Kissing Microsoft Goodbye and RIP...

(YOU CAN MARK THAT FACT DOWN ON ALL OF YOUR CALENDARS)

Yeah, I've been hearing these kind of predictions for at least 15 years by now, mainly coming from the Linux crowd. The chances are that there's no need to mark anything on the calendar...

You missed the mark on the calendar because Linux and Unix has more than 80% of the mobile market with the desktop market slowly following as more users get used to Linux that is the reason M$ is in a panic right now betting the farm on Windows RT.

HERE!_HERE!_HERE!

I agree 100% Labeeman,

And don't forget that, Apples Folks and Google Folks, looking and some have starting writing code for their new Keep the Personal Computer Alive Operating Systems and we all will be hearing media/news very shortly about what is new and coming down the pipe...

And Microsoft and all their folks and Steve Ballmer, will then have a great time to try to put things again all together...

Windows 9 will be break and or make it for Microsoft, that's all and many millions of others also agree on this point of view...

matter of fact, I don't Windows 10 with save Microsoft after they all fall to the ground if Windows 9 has that Metro UI crap in it...

Again Labeeman, very good point and keep up the good work

 

[Superfly]

Just give it time Microsoft can and will face the same problems and issues like RIM/BlackBerry did if they don't get it right and hear what all the users and mainstream enterprise users if they don't turn it around with Windows 9 or Windows 10, within the next 2 to 5 years, we all can start Kissing Microsoft Goodbye and RIP...

(YOU CAN MARK THAT FACT DOWN ON ALL OF YOUR CALENDARS)

Yeah, I've been hearing these kind of predictions for at least 15 years by now, mainly coming from the Linux crowd. The chances are that there's no need to mark anything on the calendar...

You missed the mark on the calendar because Linux and Unix has more than 80% of the mobile market with the desktop market slowly following as more users get used to Linux that is the reason M$ is in a panic right now betting the farm on Windows RT.

Have to agree with you buddy! For so long the "Linux crowd" have been drowned out by the sheer magnitude of M$ and their army of fan-boys.

Since Linux gained the support of partners that could compete with the almighty M$, they could eventually show what they can do (as evidenced by the figures you have quoted)....no more one-party state in the OS technology republic!...and now when the playing fields have evened out, M$ are showing their cracks..

Once Android x86 and subsequent x64 OS' are fully developed, guess which OS that 80% of mobile users will choose?
Good luck M$ in your "re-imaginary" world!

 

[Explorertml]

Yeah, I've been hearing these kind of predictions for at least 15 years by now, mainly coming from the Linux crowd. The chances are that there's no need to mark anything on the calendar...

You missed the mark on the calendar because Linux and Unix has more than 80% of the mobile market with the desktop market slowly following as more users get used to Linux that is the reason M$ is in a panic right now betting the farm on Windows RT.

Have to agree with you buddy! For so long the "Linux crowd" have been drowned out by the sheer magnitude of M$ and their army of fan-boys.

Since Linux gained the support of partners that could compete with the almighty M$, they could eventually show what they can do (as evidenced by the figures you have quoted)....no more one-party state in the OS technology republic!...and now when the playing fields have evened out, M$ are showing their cracks..

Once Android x86 and subsequent x64 OS' are fully developed, guess which OS that 80% of mobile users will choose?
Good luck M$ in your "re-imaginary" world!

Here!_Here!_Here!

 

[HippsieGypsie]

As Lawrence Welk would say...ah-oneah...ah-twoah....ah-threeah....Start the bubble machine....:d