Microsoft has confirmed at the Worldwide Partner Conference 2014 in Washington that it is indeed working on the next Windows version, which is believed to be Windows 9.

However, the company still hasn't given any details on the future operating system. Nevertheless, some reports reveal that the new Windows version is very likely to have a distinct user interface that would be better distinguished from the previous Windows versions.

Windows 9 is said to be going through a lot of major changes. For example, the taskbar would have a bigger role for the desktop, while the icons would more likely become interactive.

Cortana could also be included in Windows 9, with the revamped taskbar expected to serve as the main way to launch the personal assistant.

Metro apps running in their own windows on the desktop may be part of the next Windows as well.However, Microsoft seems to be planning some visual and functionality changes for them. The titlebar might auto-hide automatically, while the whole window design will be flatter to better integrate into the desktop.

Microsoft could also bring back the sidebar gadgets in Windows 9. However, there's no clear details on how are they going to do just that. The gadgets were present in Windows 7, but were removed in Windows 8, making the desktop a much more static environment.

One possible feature that Microsoft would like to improve is the preview function. When running multiple apps and all windows are minimized, it should be enough to simply hover the mouse cursor over a certain icon on the taskbar to see their current state. Such an option is already available in Windows, but Microsoft could further enhance it in Windows 9.

Windows 9 is going to be filled with many new features. Therefore, Microsoft is working to overtime to improve the desktop in a way that would serve everyone's needs better and make it easier to perform certain tasks.