Now we know. Microsoft's president for Windows, Steven Sinofsky, revealed a "reimagined" Windows, which boasts a very different, tile-based user interface called Metro based on Windows Phone that is touch-savvy, runs on ARM processors as well as Intel x86 chips, and yet will also work on traditional keyboard-and-mouse PCs and run anything that runs on Windows 7. The new version, code-named Windows 8, is now in developer preview, with no release date yet set.
After months of buildup, Microsoft unveils the next generation of Windows for PCs and tablets
See also: Microsoft Windows 8 review
Sinofsky said Microsoft redesigned Windows because "things are a whole lot different now than three years ago. ... Touch is a whole new dimension. Mobility is a whole new dimension. ... We want Windows to respond to that." He also said Windows 8 uses just 281MB of RAM, down from 404MB in Windows 7, and that all the new capabilities are native to the core OS, not layered on top of it. That should ease development and aid performance, he said. Microsoft has said Windows 8 will not run on smartphones, which will use Windows Phone 7 instead.
Read our Windows 8 Tablet Review
Like Windows 7, Windows 8 is designed for touchscreen PCs where users gesture on their vertical monitor screens, a contrast to Apple's strategy of restricting gestures to horizontal touch surfaces such as a touchpad. (Non-touchscreen PCs use traditional pointing devices instead.) It also runs on iPad-style tablets.
The new Start screen is no longer just an icon launcher but a series of tiles that can contain live data, application screens, communications screens, and more. When clicked or tapped, the tile opens the content or app in its own window. Apps can interact through common exchange APIs, in what Sinofsky called a "web of apps."
Windows 8 adopts several capabilities pioneered by Apple in Mac OS X, including full-screen apps, OS-wide search, and OS-wide spell-check. Microsoft is also working on an HTML5-savvy version of Internet Explorer. IE is the only remaining major browser that's not HTML5-savvy.
For developers, Microsoft has made its new WinRT APIs so that you can access them from the language of your choice, rather than have the IDE restrict your language choice. A UI tool based on a proposed HTML5 grid standard helps developers design their apps visually to work on multiple screen sizes and orientations. Microsoft also will introduce an app store similar to Apple's Mac App Store, except that it also let's customers try software before buying.
InfoWorld will update this story as Microsoft reveals more details. Come back to this story for updates.
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Comments
Adam Dougal said: At present it does indeed look like its designed for devleopers But they have only released the Developers version so thats probably understandable that it seems that way I imagine that theyve let the developers have it first so that they can develop apps for the general user
Allan Shotton said: So I pay another 150 for windows 8 and use the desktop appwindows 7 by any chanceand as I dont use a touchscreen or want microsoft apps-just programs that work-I get no improvements and a system clogged up with crapHas any allinone system ever worked for all the users-who want vastly different usage and results-without alienating most of them most of the timeTime to do more practice on ubuntu methinksAnd as for business users
Peterstewart said: Sounds to me that Windows 8 is designed for developers NOT usersNot a good advert for the 99 of the users who are not developersThink Ill stick with Win XP until someone convinces me that its worth changingAnd what about the programs I use with XPWill they work with Win 8Peter
Daryl said: I agree that MS have tried to Apple-fi ApplefukWindows 8 at least on theARM units The intel units however will cater for the people that can tie their own shoe laces
ArtSale2.com said: Problem with WIndows 8 is the fact it is aimed mainly at general users and forgets business and power users such as developers web designers graphic designers etcMicrosoft products are catering for uneducated computer users and forgetting people can be trained as well as forgetting about professional computer users