Windows Central claims that Microsoft is considering yet another significant shift in how it handles Windows updates. Instead of continuing to support a single version of Windows for a long period of time like it did with Windows 10, Microsoft plans to return to its previous release cycle of a new major version of Windows about every three years. This would put the release of a hypothetical “Windows 12” on track for sometime in the fall of 2024.
To the untrained eye, it appears that things have reverted back to the way they were before Windows 10. Windows Vista was released in 2006, and was followed by Windows 7 in 2009, Windows 8 in 2012, and Windows 10 in 2015. According to the source, however, Microsoft has plans to steadily improve the current Windows edition by releasing new features (internally referred to as “Moments”) about once each quarter. Windows 11 has been evolving progressively throughout the year, giving us a taste of what’s to come with the forthcoming Windows 11 22H2 release, rather than holding back on major improvements until then.
At the time of Windows 11’s debut in October 2021, Microsoft promised that both Windows 11 and Windows 10 will get annual “feature update releases” in the second half of each year. Windows 10 introduced this shift by introducing two major upgrades each year. However, Windows Central claims that the 2023 feature upgrade for Windows 11 has been “scrapped,” indicating that the annual major release may be on its way out.
The corporation is not yet prepared to declare its plans to the general public. A Microsoft representative informed us that the corporation “does not comment on rumours or conjecture” when we asked for comment.
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There are still many important mysteries to be solved. In light of this potential shift, would the Windows 11 update schedule continue to reference a “23H2” release? To what extent will Windows 12 require payment from consumers, as with previous Windows releases, or will it be provided at no cost, as with Windows 10 and Windows 11? Is there any indication of which features, if any, will be carried over across Windows major versions? Which features are available in “Moments,” and which are saved for larger updates?
A return to more distinct Windows releases may have advantages, allowing for more substantial user interface or under-the-hood changes to be implemented while also taking advantage of the increased user awareness and media attention that typically accompanies big updates. It’s also an opportunity to revise system requirements, making it such that Windows 12 will only operate on computers with more powerful hardware than Windows 11 (albeit this would mean making Windows 11 even less accessible to consumers).
However, the current plan sounds like the worst of both worlds for third-party developers and IT administrators: a constantly shifting current version of Windows that is always being tweaked, and a more fragmented install base with large groups of users running one of three or four different Windows versions with different user interfaces and feature sets. It’s possible that IT managers may revert to old habits and refuse to update to newer versions of Windows, preferring instead to stick with the tried-and-true XP or 7 and, in so doing, forego important improvements in performance and security.
When the annual feature updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11 are delivered later this year, Microsoft may provide additional details regarding its update strategy going forward. Windows 11 22H2 was created in the open through the Windows Insider testing channels and has a good amount of documentation available to be used. Windows 10 22H2, the next iteration of Microsoft’s now-retired desktop operating system, has been met with virtually complete silence from the software giant.
