Windows 9 Threshold: All you need to know about the next Windows

When is the Windows 9 release date and how will Windows 9 differ from Windows 8? Read on as we explore potential Windows 9 release dates, leaked Windows 9 screenshots and how the Windows 9 Start Menu looks set to change, hopefully for the better. (Last Update: 21 Aug)

Windows 9 is the most important software release in Microsoft's history. Among the many things Microsoft needs to sort out is the Windows 9 Start Menu, but there's more to it than that. There are also debates about how Microsoft will sell Windows 9, with some kind of subscription model a possibility.

The latest Windows 9 news concerns the Windows 9 preview release date. A leaked internal document from 22 May seemed to confirm Microsoft as aiming for Windows 9 preview release in Q2 to Q3 of 2015. But the weak performance of Windows 8 and the entrance of new CEO, Satya Nadella, may have changed Microsoft Windows 9 beta plans.

Recently, ZDNet claimed insider sources confirmed to them that a Windows 9 beta could be just a month or so away, with an autumn/fall 2014 release the new target. This would sit nicely with the idea that the full release could come around April or June 2015.

Finally, Microsoft's ambition for Windows 9 is apparently that it needs a "deeply personal, universally human way of operating". For one thing, this will likely mean integrating Microsoft's Cortana digital assistant.

Read on for more details on what we know about Windows 9.

Windows 9 Release Date: When is Windows 9 coming out?

There are a few schools of thought on the Windows 9 release date. One suggests it's planned for April 2015, which would make it just under two years since Windows 8 was released. This is a reasonably safe bet for a few reasons, including Microsoft's desire to shorten the gaps between releases, and the fact the original report came from respected Microsoft reporter Paul Thurrot.

Reasons against this theory include that there was no serious mention of Windows 9 at the recent BUILD 2014 conference, Microsoft's annual developers conference. Microsoft did show a sneak peek of a new Start Menu, but this is expected to come in an update to Windows 8 (either as 8.1 Update 2 or Windows 8.2) later this year.

Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/windows-9-release-date-beta-preview-start-menu-screenshots#gDUADWhclys6KwD0.99

Windows 9 Screenshots: What else is new?

The above screenshot is the only official concept for a future Windows release at present, but it includes a few more clues than just what the Windows 9 Start Menu will look like.
Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/windows-9-release-date-beta-preview-start-menu-screenshots#gDUADWhclys6KwD0.99

Here you can see a Metro app and Desktop app on the desktop

Chief among these clues is the ability to pin 'Metro' apps to the taskbar and open them inside traditional desktop Windows. Arguably this is a more serious and more useful change than an updated Start Menu. 

One of the many criticisms of the Modern Start Screen seen in Windows 8 is it forced people to use full screen apps when it wasn't necessary. This idea works fine on a tablet, but it doesn't make much sense when you're using a 24-inch (or more) monitor. This change would allow more users to enjoy the benefits of these apps without the drawbacks.

What we want to see in Windows 9

Besides what we already know to be coming, there are few things we'd really like Microsoft to sort out for Windows 9

Better support for High DPI monitors
Currently, Windows 8 is rubbish on high DPI displays, such as the 3,200 x 1,800 resolution display found on the Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus or the 10-inch, 1080p screen on the Surface Pro 2. One these devices, desktop apps often have implausibly small text or UI elements, which completely defeats the object of having nice, crisp high DPI screens.

Fewer hidden UI elements
One of the more irritating habits of Windows 8 was using hidden elements, such as hot corners, to access certain features. Again, many of these ideas worked great on tablets, but were an utter pain on laptops and PCs.

More Metro apps
An obvious one, this. Even now the Windows Store lacks a little depth beyond the big names, and it's an area that needs to improve. Unifying the app process between Windows Phone and Windows 9 would help this, and it's widely believed to be what Microsoft is working on.

Reduced OS size
Windows remains a somewhat bloated operating system. That's fine if you're using an old-school PC, but on an Ultrabook or tablet with limited space, handing over 30GB or so to the OS is a major pain.
Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/windows-9-release-date-beta-preview-start-menu-screenshots#gDUADWhclys6KwD0.99