A report today from ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley discusses Microsoft’s plans for the next wave of Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox One operating system updates. Ms Foley was tipped of the upcoming changes by her contacts in Microsoft’s inner sanctum.
Since the recent release of Windows 8.1 and Xbox One, Microsoft has apparently been planning an update codenamed ‘Threshold’, which aims to move towards unifying Microsoft’s software platforms by bringing them closer together. The codename was mentioned in a Microsoft internal email penned by EVP Terry Myerson and probably derives from a planet in the original Xbox game Halo, perhaps in hope reflect its abilities to support the same “high-value activities” across all Windows devices, hinted in Microsoft’s summer Shareholder letter by Steve Ballmer.
As yet, other than the codename and the general thrust of the progression towards unification and interoperability between platforms, we don’t have a lot of information about ‘Threshold’. Spring 2015 is a pretty distant way away in computer news. However between now and then Spring 2014 is, also according to MJ Foley, when we are expecting to see Windows Phone ‘Blue’ (Windows Phone 8.1) delivered.
Windows 8.X adoption decelerates
On a related note, a report from TechSpot highlights a deceleration in growth of Windows 8.X, despite the 8.1 update released late in October. According to the report, Windows 8.0 and 8.1 have barely grown to 9.3 per cent of the market share from 9.25 per cent during the first full month of 8.1’s availability – that’s a gain of just 0.05 points. Figures show that Windows 7 did better in the same period, growing by 0.22 points.
