Julie Larson-Green, chief of Windows, confirmed at the Wired Business Conference today that the upgraded operating system by Windows, dubbed Windows 8.1 “Blue,” will be released at the end of June which happens to coincide with Microsoft’s build conference. The conference is scheduled for June 26-29 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
The OS upgrade is expected to ship a public preview during that time, while the finalized version should be available by the end of the year, just in time for the holiday season.
Codenamed “Blue” Windows 8.1 leaked builds suggest that the OS will undergo a number of upgrades. Users should expect to see an improved start screen and an updated settings panel, as well as more options for backing up to SkyDrive with added convenience. Aesthetics also play an important role as Blue looks like it will boast more facets for customization, brighter colors, and the new SnapView which allows you to snap apps side-by-side using 50 percent each.
The UI remains relatively the same, though this is intriguing as rival Apple has reportedly ditched its typical colorful, flashy UI for a more simplified “flat” one. Microsoft appears to be moving its software in the opposite direction in this sense.
According to a similar report by The Verge, “Windows CFO Tami Reller recently revealed that the software giant is planning changes for Windows 8.1 in reaction to some customer feedback. Discussing the requests for a Start button in Windows 8, Reller said ‘we’ve really also tried to understand what people are really asking for when they’re asking for that.”
Microsoft’s Build conference is just one scheduled to take place this summer with other tech and electronics giants hosting their own. The newest summer event will be hosted by cloud-based solution provider Dropbox, which only yesterday announced plans to host its inaugural DBX Conference for July 9, also in San Francisco.
We’ll be keeping our ears to the ground as far as Microsoft technology is concerned. With its event closing in fast, we may expect a number of leaked specs and photos for products ranging from Windows 8.1 to Xbox. Stay tuned.
