The word is official: Microsoft will host an event in San Francisco on September 30 with news on “what’s next for Windows”—a presentation all but certain to involve a good look at the long-awaited replacement for Windows 8, currently codenamed “Threshold.”
Microsoft likewise appears likely to release a beta version of the operating system either at the event or shortly thereafter. That “technical preview” of Threshold will let developers and big organizations start planning for the major changes in the operating system. It’s not yet clear whether the technical preview will be available to the general public or only to registered developers.
See also: A Replacement For Windows 8 May Be Nearing The “Threshold”
The event appears to be aimed primarily at large “enterprise” organizations; Microsoft’s invitation card reads, “Join us to hear about what’s next for Windows and the enterprise.” That focus, however, may have more to do with the fact that the Windows PC is, once again, primarily a business tool now that tablets and phones have largely obviated the need to boot up a PC to play games or keep up with email and social networks at home.
Desktop, Desktop, Desktop
What that means is that Microsoft will most likely focus on changes to the traditional Windows “desktop” mode in Threshold. Windows 8, for instance, relegated the desktop to an afterthought in favor of the touch-enabled “Metro” mode, characterized by tiles in bright primary colors. The move alienated many Windows users, who have only been somewhat mollified by Microsoft’s incremental efforts to restore features to the Windows 8 desktop.
The Threshold desktop will likely return in a front-and-center role for PC users. Like the latest version of Windows 8, Threshold will default to different modes depending on the device—for instance, booting to Metro mode on a tablet and to the desktop on a laptop or desktop.
Leaked screenshots and videos suggest that the Threshold desktop will revive the Start menu, which Windows 8 dispensed with entirely, albeit in a colorful design that incorporates Metro-like tiles. The new Windows will also apparently let users create multiple desktops—say, to group programs and files needed for specific tasks—and will feature a notification center similar to those in smartphones, tablets and Mac OS X.
It’ll also apparently be possible to run tablet-style Metro apps in windows on the desktop; in Windows 8, those apps insist on taking over the entire screen. There’s also a possibility that Microsoft’s personal assistant Cortana will make an appearance.
See also: How Microsoft’s Cortana Stacks Up Against Siri And Google Now
We’ll have full coverage on September 30; join us then to see which features make the cut in Threshold and how soon you’ll be able to get your hands on it.
Lead photo by Joe deSousa
