Microsoft moving towards Apple-like update schedule?

Martin Brinkmann
Aug 13, 2012
Updated • Aug 14, 2012
Microsoft, Windows
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Both Windows 7 and the soon to be released Windows 8 operating system have been released after three years of development. News broke earlier this month that work began on Windows 9, the next version of Windows which probably will be released in October 2015 if Microsoft is keeping up with the release schedule.

Rumors about a different release schedule, or at least a different schedule of releases in-between major version upgrades, have been fueled by Mary Jo Foley who mentioned that her "contacts" told here that some kind of Windows update was coming next year. Now, this is not very specific and could very well be the indication for a first service pack for the operating system.

Mary Jo however thinks that Microsoft could be planning to release smaller updates in shorter release cycles in the future.  This could be similar as to how Apple is developing updates for its Mac OS X operating system.The project could be codenamed Blue, a terminus mentioned last week on Win8China.

A faster release schedule would allow Microsoft to integrate new features faster into the operating system which could be especially important for Windows 8 as the system is the first in a series of operating systems that is moving away from a traditional desktop system towards a system suitable for different kinds of devices and computers.

At this point, it is nothing more than a rumor though, and surely one that Microsoft won't confirm any time soon. If it turns out to be true, we could see the new release make an appearance in the summer of 2013, less than a year after the official release of Windows 8. Whether that update will then be referred to as Windows 8.1, Windows 8.5 or something completely different is up for debate as well.

The update would however have more of a service pack character with a few new features thrown into the mix than something that would be completely different from Windows 8.

System administrators on the other hand and businesses do not necessarily look forward to a faster release schedule as this could put a lot of strain on an IT department and employees.

What's your take on the rumor?

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Comments

  1. Bronson said on August 16, 2012 at 8:38 pm
    Reply

    Some harsh words for people with differing opinions :)

  2. Gonzo said on August 16, 2012 at 7:49 am
    Reply

    Hopefully it’s Windows 7 SP2. I’ve had to install alot of hotfixes since SP1.

    As for the speculation, not worth commenting on…. yet.

  3. Roman ShaRP said on August 15, 2012 at 10:58 am
    Reply

    ) It can be true: as WinPhone 7 Metro was feature incomplete and crippled, Windows 8 can be too
    ) On the other hand I don’t need Metro at all
    ) And my experience with MS updates is negative: it seems that for me they break and bug more than fix
    ) Neither any other fast release schedule did anything good to me

  4. Bill said on August 14, 2012 at 1:40 pm
    Reply

    How about a new Windows OS every six weeks? Followed by a bug-fix release a short while later.

    1. Jim said on August 14, 2012 at 2:09 pm
      Reply

      Wouldn’t if be cool if there was an OS that let you download the most current binaries or even the source code and compile it yourself? Hey, wait… :)

      1. anony said on August 14, 2012 at 9:31 pm
        Reply

        And break itself and softwares compatibility in the process?

        Hey wait.

  5. ilev said on August 14, 2012 at 8:23 am
    Reply

    Windows 9, with no Simon Says tiles will be out next year.

    1. Nerdebeu said on August 14, 2012 at 8:29 am
      Reply

      If only that were true…

  6. 50000 said on August 14, 2012 at 3:48 am
    Reply

    Interesting how faggots are not wanting Windows 8, makes it a more pure OS for the rest of us and they can continue adoring their iturds.

    1. anony said on August 14, 2012 at 9:30 pm
      Reply

      Average mentality of Win 8 hater I saw from numerous sites.

      Wow if it does tell you something.

      1. anony said on August 14, 2012 at 9:32 pm
        Reply

        *Windows fanboy

  7. Midnight said on August 14, 2012 at 1:21 am
    Reply

    Considering that I, as well as many, many other Windows users will be skipping the upcoming release of Win8, for obvious reasons, it will be interesting to see what Microsoft has on the drawing board for Windows 9!!

    That’s if MS survives all the backlash and criticism from Windows 8!!

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