Microsoft Clarifies Windows 10 Release Date

Updated on

Last week, Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner reiterated that Windows 10 is still a ways away.

The announcement came as Turner was speaking at the Credit Suisse Technology Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Those potential time frames don’t apply to a “developer preview” of the new operating system as that is expected to occur in the early summer of next year. As the announcement was made at a Credit Suisse event, the crowd was primarily made up of financial analysts.

Additionally, Turner said that the company plans to speak of “end user consumer experiences” sometime “in the early spring” of 2015 with long-time Microsoft reporter Mary Jo Foley suggesting that could happen as early as January 20 to 21 when Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has a scheduled press event.

Microsoft changing with the times

While Windows has been the core of the 39-year-old Microsoft since its inception, the company is moving away from that. Turner described the future of Microsoft as a “productivity and platform” company who continues to move to a “mobile-first, cloud-first world.”

The fact that both Office and the company’s enterprise software operations out earn Windows is demonstrative of this. Presently, Microsoft’s Office 365 has over 7 million paying subscribers. Turner also took the time to tell analysts that Microsoft was happy with its Surface tablet devices and the company’s work in the “first-party hardware space.”

Common OS kernel for devices

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s goal with Windows 10 is to produce a common OS kernel with a single API for developers that would provide a single platform for mobile devices, laptops/desktops, and the Xbox. Essentially, “one platform for drivers and apps.” Microsoft smartphones were notably absent from this list but many have suggested that Windows 10 could ultimately replace Windows Phone mobile OS.

Given the audience, Turner expressed the company’s willingness to lose money on the Windows client operating system but added that Windows will remain monetized through the sale of additional services. Turner stopped short of providing more details but promised that it would be explained further in the late spring/early summer.

Leave a Comment