Could Windows be moving to a faster release cycle? Some hints towards a possibility seem to have been uncovered recently.
There is a strong possibility that Microsoft might have a new release of Windows planned for as early as next year. This release codenamed “Blue” could by anything from a feature pack or major Windows update to even Windows 9—although the last possibility seems to be less likely.
The technology world has not only changed a lot recently, but even the pace of changes has ramped up. Innovations in the mobile and tablet spaces are far quicker then ever before.
Let’s just take the example of Ubuntu. When Windows 7 released back in 2009, Ubuntu 9.10 was still a few days away. The 9.10 release of Ubuntu introduced the Software Centre, a central place to install applications. In 10.04, Ubuntu added social features to the OS with Twitter, and Facebook integration. Ubuntu 10.10 introduced Unity for the first time, albeit only for netbooks; and Ubuntu’s Software Centre also gained purchasable applications.
Ubuntu 11.04 switched to Unity entirely, and in 11.10 it further refined the interface. In 11.10, and 12.04 Unity has been refined and improved a lot, and Ubuntu has added an entirely new HUD interface for menus.
When Ubuntu 12.10 comes out, right before Windows 8, it will include an even more refined Unity experience, an improved theme, and support for Ubuntu Web Apps which allow native integration of web applications.
Windows 8 will launch, and come with a huge UI change that most users will have no way around, and with no update expected for three years. Except of course if they speed up the cycle.
This comparison is interesting because both Ubuntu and Windows are introducing a change in the UI, both UI’s are intended to be touch friendly. Ubuntu users however have had to slowly adjust to the new UI over these three years, and at worst they can always install a different desktop environment. Windows 8 on the other hand will come with a sudden sharp UI change with no intermediate period of change.
If Microsoft is planning for a faster cycle, that will at least meant that they will be able to iterate on the Windows 8 UI faster to adapt it to people’s needs. Whether that comes as a Windows 8.5 or Windows 9 isn’t as important.
