Ballmer discusses – or misstates? – plans for 'Windows 8'

 

Connecting state and local government leaders

Microsoft CEO calls the OS by name and talks about plans for 2012, but company then backpedals.

Whether it's called Windows 8 or something else, Microsoft's next operating system will appear sometime in 2012 and be built for a variety of form factors, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said May 23 in Japan. Or not.

Ballmer actually said the words "Windows 8," although Microsoft's top executives have been careful not to use the term, and several media outlets quickly received a denial from the company, claiming that the Windows 8 mention and schedule described by Ballmer was a "misstatement."

Ballmer, speaking at the Microsoft Developer Forum in Tokyo, suggested that Microsoft's next operating system after Windows 7 will appear sometime in 2012. He also pointed to Windows 8 running on various device sizes.

"We're obviously hard at work on the next version of Windows," Ballmer told the crowd, according to a Microsoft-produced transcript (page 4). "And yet, as we look forward to the next generation of Windows systems, which will come out next year, there's a whole lot more coming. As we progress through the year, you ought to expect to hear a lot about Windows 8. Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs, a variety of different form factors."

Until this point, company officials have used the bland "Windows Next" description, which was first announced at the Computer Electronics Show in January. Microsoft's employees, meanwhile, have been less cautious about the term, freely using "Windows 8" on their resumes.

Microsoft has already put Windows 7 on various tablet devices, but they are sometimes considered to be more expensive and lacking extended battery support found in competing products. At the Computer Electronics Show in January, Microsoft had announced a "Windows Next" to run on system-on-chip (SoC) architectures, including designs by AMD, Intel and ARM Holdings. The idea is that Microsoft will be able to port Windows to smaller form factors, such as tablets, with better power-saving capabilities. It's thought that applications too would have to be revised for ARM-based devices running Windows.

Last week, an Intel senior vice president claimed that Microsoft would produce a Windows 8 "traditional" OS for x86-based devices plus a Windows 8 for ARM-based devices. The Intel executive suggested that older applications would not run on the ARM devices and that there will be four Windows 8 OSes for ARM-based products. A Microsoft official didn't specifically debunk those claims, but called them "factually inaccurate and unfortunately misleading."

Ballmer's speech was targeted to developers in Japan and covered a lot more ground than just the company's Windows Next plans. He said that Microsoft was focusing on natural user interfaces (handwriting, speech, touch and vision) and natural language where devices might have a greater semantic understanding of information. He described Bing and other search engines as being primitive examples of software interpreting human intentions. He also emphasized Microsoft's focus beyond C++ and C# and .NET to widespread use of HTML and JavaScript.

Ballmer also touched on Windows Phone, acknowledging that the consumer mobile OS came to market "about a year later than I wish we had." Windows Phone 7 was launched in November, but Ballmer promised a new release later this year that will add "over 500 new features to Windows Phone."

This new release likely will be the "Mango" Windows Phone 7 update, promised by Microsoft to appear this fall. Mango, which is also being called "Windows Phone 7.5," will add Internet Explorer 9, integration with Twitter and access to Windows Live SkyDrive cloud storage, among other features. A software development kit for Mango likely will be announced on Tuesday.

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.