Microsoft is slowly getting people prepared for the full release of Windows 11 23H2, the latest feature update for the Windows 11 OS. However, there are lots of unconfirmed rumors that the company is getting ready for a major update that may or may not be labeled as Windows 12.
The latest evidence for such an update came not from an unnamed source inside Microsoft but from a public quote from an Intel executive. Seeking Alpha posted a transcript of a recent event during the Citi 2023 Global Technology Conference (via PC Gamer). The transcript has an interview with Intel CFO David Zinsner.
Zinsner felt the company will have a solid 2024 in terms of sales, and he stated part of the reason is due to Microsoft. He is quoted as saying:
We actually think '24 is going to be a pretty good year for client, in particular, because of the Windows refresh. And we still think that the installed base is pretty old and does require a refresh and we think next year may be the start of that, given the Windows catalyst. So we're optimistic about how things will play out beginning in '24.
The phrase "Windows refresh" is almost certainly a reference to the next major edition of Microsoft's OS, rather than just a feature update for Windows 11.
Microsoft has not talked publicly about its future plans for a Windows update. However, Windows Central has a new report claiming, via unnamed sources, that development of the next Windows "was kicked up a notch over the last couple of months." It adds that the update is now in full development and it should be completed sometime in mid-2024.
That timeline is certainly in line for an official launch sometime in the fall of 2024. It will be interesting to see if the departure of former Windows and Surface division head Panos Panay a few weeks ago will affect the development.
69 Comments - Add comment