Microsoft's BUILD 2021 developer conference kicked off on Tuesday. While not consumer focussed, there are usually some interesting titbits which will engage the average Windows user. A case in point is Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella saying he was "incredibly excited" about the next update to Windows, and that it is coming "very soon". Moreover, Nadella said the release will be "one of the most significant updates to Windows of the past decade".
The Microsoft CEO framed the update in its appeal to developers, to match the BUILD audience. To avoid any misinterpretation, I've provided a full quote below, wrapping in the above statements.
"Soon we will share one of the most significant updates to Windows of the past decade to unlock greater economic opportunity for developers and creators. I've been self-hosting it over the past several months and I'm incredibly excited about the next generation of Windows.
Our promise to you is this: We will create more opportunity for every Windows developer today and welcome every creator who is looking for the most innovative, new, open platform to build and distribute and monetize applications. We look forward to sharing more very soon."
The above is all well and good, but details about why ordinary end users should be excited were thin on the ground yesterday. I found it interesting to hear the next OS referred to as the "next generation of Windows" rather than "Windows 10," but it doesn't mean that the next release won't be named Windows 10 something-or-other.
The next major Windows 10 revision is rumoured to be based upon a refreshed look and feel codenamed Sun Valley. However, there could be bigger changes on and under the surface with the recent announcement that the best technologies from Windows 10X will be folded into the mainstream OS, now that 10X has been shelved.
BUILD 2021 isn't expected to deliver any further consumer friendly Sun Valley nuggets, but some sources are saying a separate virtual event is being planned to share more to the public about Sun Valley. Evidence of any changes should start arriving in Windows Insider releases ahead of an actual release, and we might get hints about a renaming / rebranding of Windows by then if it is going to happen.
