Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) will unveil the consumer preview of its Windows 10 OS at a special event in late January 2015, after the Consumer Electronics Show. Sources familiar with the software giant’s plans told The Verge that Microsoft will discuss several new features of Windows 10, such as a new touch interface called Continuum, at the event.
Consumer preview on track
Microsoft had previously promised to discuss consumer features of its new OS in early 2015. The company seems to be on track. Sources said that the Redmond-based company will also share details on Windows-based smartphones and tablets, as well as the dashboard updates to the Xbox One gaming console. Windows 10 is designed to work seamlessly across multiple form factors including tablets, smartphones, PCs and gaming consoles.
The software giant is expected to provide details of its Windows 10 consumer preview event by the end of this year. Microsoft unveiled Windows 10, skipping the name Windows 9, in September at a low-key event in San Francisco. Besides Continuum, the consumer preview will showcase a large number of new features. Microsoft had revealed enterprise preview of Windows 10 about two months ago.
Windows 10 to be available for Windows Phone 8 devices
Consumer version of Windows 10 is also expected to feature the virtual assistant Cortana and a new Start screen. Microsoft has said that Windows 10 will be available to all Windows Phone 8 Lumia devices as an upgrade. Recently, the software giant released a new update with Windows 10 Technical Preview with Kernel version 10.0. That’s a big jump from NT kernel 6.4 in Windows 8.1.
However, the company’s Windows 10 build for mobile devices has kernel version 8.15.xxxx. That means the mobile version of the OS is yet to catch up with the NT kernel change. Anyway, the company has been seeking feedback from early users to improve Windows 10. Last month, Microsoft claimed that it had received more than 200,000 user-initiated feedback on Windows 10 Technical Preview.
Microsoft shares jumped 1.00% to $48.29 at 10:57 AM EST on Monday.
