Microsoft will reportedly launch Windows 9 on September 30 and could ultimately be known as the last of the software giant's big bang operating system releases.
According to The Verge, Microsoft will feature "Threshold," or Windows 9 on Sept. 30. Mary Jo Foley reported last week that Microsoft would preview what will be Windows 9 later in September.
While the Windows 9 christening will kick off a march to a general public roll out in spring of 2015, it's worth outlining why the operating system is strategic today, but a mere transition product if you zoom out beyond two years.
The Wall Street Journal asked whether Microsoft needed all the hubbub around Windows 9. The short answer is yes — for now.
In a short-term lens, Windows 9 is critical because:
- Microsoft needs to put the Windows 8 launch to bed to get us talking about something other than Vista analogies;
- The software giant needs to refine Windows to be both touch and non-touch friendly;
- Windows needs to hook into Microsoft's platform and productivity mantra;
- And Windows needs to lay the groundwork for a faster development cadence as well as a cloud approach.
Read more at: Microsoft's Windows 9: Much ado about little, given cloud shift | ZDNet