Microsoft Learns From Windows 8 Backlash, Plans Windows Threshold Catering To Device Types

Reports are filtering out today that Microsoft is targeting a Spring 2015 release of their next generation operating system, code named "Windows Threshold."  Redmond reportedly is done with optimizing and tuning Windows 8.x and needs to put the fiasco some have dubbed "Vista 2.0" in the rear view as soon as possible.  You see, for all that Microsoft got right with Windows 8, the company has never fully recovered from the jarring separation of their touch-centric Modern UI interface, when it comes to the desktop and mainstream notebook user experience. On tablets, hybrids and touch-enabled notebooks, Windows 8 is a much easier transition for the average Windows 7 user, but for those predisposed to traditional mouse and keyboard input, there's little argument that Windows 8 just feels like a force fit.

However, with Threshold, or what ultimately may (or may not) be called Windows 9, Microsoft has been taking notes and the good news is the company is also trying to shorten their development cycles, offering more frequent update releases.  Beyond the Windows 8.1 update 2 release, that is rumored to arrive sometime late summer or early fall, Microsoft is reportedly targeting multiple versions of their next generation Threshold OS to be more device-specific in terms of their features and UI options.  While Microsoft is tasked more than ever with developing an OS with a common core and app ecosystem, the company is also looking at ways of optimizing sort of at the shell level, with more touch-friendly interface options designed for tablets and convertibles, while desktop and traditional notebook SKUs will get a more classic desktop setup with perhaps a "mini start menu."

The main strategy here is an effort to coax Windows 7 holdouts over to the new OS with something just a bit more familiar. It makes a whole lot of sense.  When you consider Redmond's goal is to have a unified OS across all device types from smartphones to tablets, notebooks and desktops, it's clear that shoehorning a heavily touch-optimized interface into a traditionally non-touch environment was as bad idea to begin with.

That said, what the average mainstream user probably doesn't appreciate as much is just how efficient and lean Windows 8.1 currently is, in terms of its low-level resource requirements.  Microsoft did an amazingly good job of optimizing the scheduler, threading and multitasking in the OS such that it runs really well even on underpowered or low power devices.  Take, for example, the new crop of Windows 8.1 tablets coming to market from the likes of Lenovo and Dell , that make use of Intel's Bay Trail Atom processor.  With only 2GB of RAM and a low power quad-core Atom chip, you get a full Windows 8.1 experience on a tablet, that is compatible with all of your traditional desktop applications, file types and media.

With this kind of cross-platform compatibility, performance and Microsoft's willingness to cater to different device types a bit more, Windows 9, or whatever Microsoft intends to call it, may just be the best operating system to come out of the Windows design team yet.