Microsoft Windows 9 beta is available for download as early as next month, according to reports.
Microsoft Windows 9 beta will be publicly available September or October 2014, according to sources (yahoo.com). While the new Microsoft OS is expected to be unstable as a beta release, users will have a good grasp of features and changes to be included in the final version.
Microsoft's next operating system is dubbed "Threshold," and leaked photos have been circulating online for the past few months. A screenshot of the desktop reveals a return to a familiar interface, with the return of the Start Menu button.
Windows 8 was released last Fall, and the official Windows 9 is reported to come out Spring of 2015. The new OS works with or without touchscreen support.
It's expected Microsoft is shifting closer to the goal of integrating all of its products into a single system, including gaming, desktop, and portable devices. "Threshold" will be patched on a regular basis after release, before the official version launches.
Notable in the leaked reports is the absence of the Windows 8 Charms bar. Changes on the User Interface also includes windowed Metro-Style apps. Virtual desktops and Cortana integration are also expected to be previewed on the beta.
The "Threshold" beta is supposed to be open to the public as a technical preview, with reports that it'll be the only preview available until the official release.
Microsoft's precedent with the Windows 8 preview hints it'll gradually introduce Windows 9 to the public, although at a quicker pace. Windows 8 went through a developer preview and consumer preview before production, and then released October 2012.
Sources confirm the Microsoft Windows 9 beta won't be exclusive and will be available to everyone interested. "Threshold" aims to improve Windows usability, on both touch and non-touch devices. Updates to the tech preview will be automatically installed, with the users' consent (cnet.com).
