[German]Will a new Windows be released in 2024? There is an unconfirmed information that such a Windows is being formed in Microsoft's developer labs as a successor to "Windows Core OS". It is supposed to be a major upgrade for the platform, and on the one hand offer improved security as well as faster updates. In addition, this operating system is to be enriched with AI functions. The night I also still read in a report that this "new" Windows should finally be a competitor to Google's Chrome OS.
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In October 2025 at the latest, users of Windows 10 will have to say goodbye to this platform, as its support will expire. Windows 11 would then be the successor for the clients. On the other hand, Microsoft always has an operating system in development as a successor for the last released Windows. Therefore, it is logical that there is something to the unconfirmed rumors, according to which Microsoft is already working on the successor to Windows 11. This successor, which I'll call Windows 12 for simplicity's sake, is supposed to come out at the end of 2024.
I had already reported here in the blog several times about this Windows 12 (see article at the end of the post). The site neowin.net even had an articleSome alleged system requirements for Microsoft's Next Valley (Windows 12) are here the days, which refers to this deskmodder.de article and speculatively dealt with some hardware cornerstones for this new platform. The Pluton security processor is said to still be optional, but there is more cloud connectivity and the minimum RAM requirement increases to 8 GBytes.
New Windows 12 rumors
Zack Bowden has now published the article Microsoft plans major platform upgrades for "Windows 12" that will modernize the OS with AI, faster updates, and better security on Windows Central and links to this post on Twitter. The short message: Microsoft is working on major platform upgrades for Windows in 2024 that will modernize the OS with faster updates, better security, and AI features. The project is said to be the spiritual successor to Windows Core OS.
Zack Bowden refers to sources within Microsoft who must have tipped him off to some rumors about a new Windows development.
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The Core OS disaster
Microsoft had once set out many years ago to develop a modern, modular Windows, which was announced as Windows Core OS. The OS was based on UWP (Universal Windows Platform as a runtime environment for apps) , which was supposed to rid the platform of old features and app compatibility and instead be lightweight, faster at installing updates and much more secure.
However, Microsoft was never able to bring a Windows Core OS for to the market, despite various attempts. I remember Windows 10X, which was Microsoft's last attempt in this regard. The project was cancelled in 2021 after months of internal testing and years of development of Windows Core OS itself. Customers had communicated to Microsoft in no uncertain terms that there was no need for such an OS (see Plug pulled: The End for Windows 10X …).
Windows 11 can be seen as a reusing the left over from the GUI of the cancelled Windows 10X, which was then placed on top of the core of Windows 10. Zack Bowden writes that since the failures, the development of Windows Core OS for traditional devices has been stopped. There gee also no more plans to develop a product based on Windows Core OS for traditional PCs.
New Core PC concept
However, Microsoft has not buried all plans, but is aiming for a modernization of its Windows platform so that it can keep up with the competition (Chrome OS systems are probably meant). The project, code-named CorePC, is supposed to be a modular and customizable version of Windows that allows Microsoft to use different form factors. Not all Windows PCs will need the full range of support for legacy Win32 applications. CorePC is intended to allow Microsoft to configure "editions" of Windows with different levels of functionality and application compatibility.
The big innovation of CorePC over the current version of Windows, he said, is that CorePC, just like Windows Core OS, is state-separated. State separation enables faster updates and a more secure platform through read-only partitions that are inaccessible to the user and third-party apps, just like iPadOS or Android.
With CorePC, he said, the OS is split into multiple partitions, which is key to faster OS updates. State separation also allows for a faster and more reliable system reset function, which is important for Chromebook-compatible devices in the education sector. However, this cannot be ensured with the current Windows design.
Bowden writes that his sources at Microsoft report that the company is finally looking to launch a version of Windows with CorePC that can compete with Chromebooks in terms of space, performance and features. A version of Windows that runs only Edge, web apps, Android apps (via Project Latte) and Office apps and is designed for low-end education PCs is already in early testing internally and is about 60-75% smaller than Windows 11 SE.
Microsoft is also working on a version of CorePC that matches the current feature set and capabilities of Windows Desktop, but comes with state separation enabled (i.e., different OS partitions) for faster OS updates and improved security benefits, according to the sources. The company continues to work on a compatibility layer, code-named Neon, for older applications that also require a split-state operating system to work.
As a final rumor, Bowden writes that he has heard that Microsoft is experimenting with a version of CorePC that is "silicon optimized." This is said to be designed to reduce legacy overhead. The idea there is to focus on AI functions. The idea is to copy Apple's silicon approach on the Mac. Of course, the new Core PC concept gets quite a lot of AI features that will be central to Windows in 2024.
Among the AI features under development, Bowden said, is the ability for Windows to analyze the content being displayed and provide contextual clues to launch projects or apps based on the information being displayed. Windows could also be able to recognize objects and text in images and allow users to easily cut and paste those elements elsewhere. However, special hardware would then be needed for some AI functions, it is said.
The bottom line is that it's all just rumors at the moment. Let's see what else comes to light in the coming months and what will be on the table at the end of the day.
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