07-18-2024, 11:18 PM
In case anyone is still focused on the Windows 12 topic:
What actually came in "late 2024" is Windows 11 24H2, available already to Windows Insiders. Just adds some AI stuff, like Copilot.
It was a little iffy to update directly from 23H2. I ended up just reinstalling from the ISO disc image, which is really no big deal.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/what-to-expec...s-and-more
The next major update to Windows won't be called Windows 12. It will be called Windows 11 24H2, for second half of 2024, and it will show up sometime this fall and be based on a new platform codenamed "Germanium." But odds are that we will eventually see a Windows 12 at some point. Microsoft hasn’t officially commented on whether it's developing Windows 12, but indicators suggest that it's coming at some point. ...
Then they talk about the original thinking on major Windows version updates, with poeople speculating about end of 2024. And they say,
But all that has changed. The wildcard was the departure of longtime Windows boss Panos Panay, which resulted in a restructuring of the Windows version-numbering schedule. It seems that the new team wants to wait to put its own stamp on a future release.
Another consideration is that Windows 11 has only just passed 33% market share among Windows versions, with Windows 10 still ahead of it with 63%. Introducing another version would split up the pie further, especially considering the glacial pace many people are taking to upgrade.
They don't mention how MS relented on the strict PC CPU generation compliance requirements.
As to ads, subscriptions, etc:
Eagle-eyed code watchers have noticed references to "subscription edition," "subscription type," and "subscription status" in the code for a Windows Insider build in the Canary channel (the earliest release channel). These references have led to speculation that Microsoft will require a subscription for the OS in the future—and perhaps PC prices would be lower as a result. Further speculation has it that a free, ad-supported version of Windows 12 might be available as well.
But that's truly all just speculation. A stronger possibility is that these references to subscriptions are for business users, similar to the already available Windows 365 Cloud PC option. Even Bowden published an article debunking the subscription rumor.
A subscription requirement would surely result in outrage from longtime Windows users. That's what happened when Adobe Photoshop first moved to a subscription model. Users eventually paid up, however, boosting Adobe's profits and enabling the company to develop impressive new features for the imaging software.
To me, all of this is déjà vu. Every new Windows release comes with a litany of disgruntled users, even some who insist that only every other Windows release is worth installing. I personally agree that Windows 8 was dumb, designed mainly for tablets, but that aside, ho hum, they each did improve on the previous version.
What actually came in "late 2024" is Windows 11 24H2, available already to Windows Insiders. Just adds some AI stuff, like Copilot.
It was a little iffy to update directly from 23H2. I ended up just reinstalling from the ISO disc image, which is really no big deal.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/what-to-expec...s-and-more
The next major update to Windows won't be called Windows 12. It will be called Windows 11 24H2, for second half of 2024, and it will show up sometime this fall and be based on a new platform codenamed "Germanium." But odds are that we will eventually see a Windows 12 at some point. Microsoft hasn’t officially commented on whether it's developing Windows 12, but indicators suggest that it's coming at some point. ...
Then they talk about the original thinking on major Windows version updates, with poeople speculating about end of 2024. And they say,
But all that has changed. The wildcard was the departure of longtime Windows boss Panos Panay, which resulted in a restructuring of the Windows version-numbering schedule. It seems that the new team wants to wait to put its own stamp on a future release.
Another consideration is that Windows 11 has only just passed 33% market share among Windows versions, with Windows 10 still ahead of it with 63%. Introducing another version would split up the pie further, especially considering the glacial pace many people are taking to upgrade.
They don't mention how MS relented on the strict PC CPU generation compliance requirements.
As to ads, subscriptions, etc:
Eagle-eyed code watchers have noticed references to "subscription edition," "subscription type," and "subscription status" in the code for a Windows Insider build in the Canary channel (the earliest release channel). These references have led to speculation that Microsoft will require a subscription for the OS in the future—and perhaps PC prices would be lower as a result. Further speculation has it that a free, ad-supported version of Windows 12 might be available as well.
But that's truly all just speculation. A stronger possibility is that these references to subscriptions are for business users, similar to the already available Windows 365 Cloud PC option. Even Bowden published an article debunking the subscription rumor.
A subscription requirement would surely result in outrage from longtime Windows users. That's what happened when Adobe Photoshop first moved to a subscription model. Users eventually paid up, however, boosting Adobe's profits and enabling the company to develop impressive new features for the imaging software.
To me, all of this is déjà vu. Every new Windows release comes with a litany of disgruntled users, even some who insist that only every other Windows release is worth installing. I personally agree that Windows 8 was dumb, designed mainly for tablets, but that aside, ho hum, they each did improve on the previous version.