Microsoft seem to be intent to make amends for the disaster that is Windows 8.
According to ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, her sources say that Microsoft could offer “Windows Threshold”, aka Windows 9, for free for all existing users of Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8.1. This appears to be another desperate attempt from Microsoft, after the undeniable failure of Windows 8.
Many users are yet to let go of Windows 7, and Microsoft’s attempts to try and make them migrate to Windows 8 have been in vain. Their mission to universalize Windows 8 across devices was one of the reasons why it failed, with the majority of the users avoiding the Metro UI like the plague.
Windows 8.1 and the Update 1 however improved things, the former brought back the beloved Start button, while the latter made the OS more user friendly, with the Boot to Desktop option and the Apps screen. Yet, the OS still lacks a key component of the UI, the Start Menu.
Windows 9 will bring a slew of new features which includes a customizable Start Menu called the Mini Start Menu. The user will have the option to add Metro app tiles to the list of apps, or remove the tiles entirely for a list of Apps. Neowin reports that Windows 9 will use the Desktop view by default, with an option to enable the Metro Start Menu. It will also allow Metro Apps to run in a windowed mode. So, it appears to be a hybrid between Windows 7 and 8.1.
he Redmond based company is focused to make sure Windows 9, reaches out to as many users as possible, and may also bring it’s Windows Phone Virtual Assistant, Cortana to PCs.
Microsoft could be launching a preview version of Windows 9 later this year, before officially launching the OS next year, during their annual BUILD developer conference in April.
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