Microsoft 'Windows Blue' Due in 2013: Report

According to a new report, an updated version of Microsoft's Windows operating system (OS) will now ship each and every year.

Some observers suggest that Microsoft's idea may be to release gradual upgrades every year rather than wait for a complete overhaul to the operating system every few years.

Various reports claim Microsoft is using the codename "Windows Blue" for its development work on a new OS, one that may possibly be made available to users as early as 2013.

A New Plan for Microsoft?

Some insiders believe Windows Blue is both a codename and the actual release name for the next version of the Windows operating system. Certainly it's safe enough that Microsoft is unlikely to run into legal challenges from others offering a product called Blue. (Source: zdnet.com)

The insiders also suggest that Windows 8 applications will work on Windows Blue, but that once it's released Microsoft will demand that all new applications be specifically designed to work on Blue.

What's more, unlike Windows 7 and 8, Windows Blue may represent a less-than-complete overhaul of the previous operating system. Instead, Blue will reportedly concentrate on refining technical issues in Windows 8.

It appears to some that the plan is simply to issue a small set of changes every year, similar to the current Service Pack updates, and that the days of irregularly launching a completely new edition of Windows could be over.

Similar Strategies Used in Smartphone World

A similar strategy is already employed in the smartphone world. Reports suggest Microsoft now wants to bring PC-based Windows and the Windows Phone software even closer together and issue updates to both at the same time.

Some insiders believe this strategy would be popular with consumers because an annual update schedule would allow Microsoft to constantly offer a newer (and presumably better) operating system.

Of course, we don't know anything for certain right now. However, if Microsoft is genuinely planning a new OS release next summer, more details will probably emerge fairly soon.