News Analysis: Microsoft has started working on Windows 8 and expects to release it in 2012. The current market situation is giving Microsoft plenty of incentive to make many fundamental changes and additions to its flagship operating system.
Now
that
Microsoft has launched its "Building Windows 8" blog, much of the
attention in the software market is turning to what the tech giant plans to
offer when it launches the operating system next year-and for good reason.
Based on what Microsoft has said so far, the company plans to offer a major
update to customers that could very well set the tone for how operating systems
look and feel in the coming years.
But
should consumers and enterprise users really be excited by another Windows?
After all, the operating system has been around a long time, and to some
extent, it has become a taken-for-granted necessity in the daily lives of folks
while flashier products, like Google Android or Apple's iPhone and iPad, take
all the attention.
However,
Windows 8 promises to be one of the most important software launches in quite
some time. And there's no good reason for anyone-consumer or IT
decision-maker-to ignore it.
Read
on to find out why computer users should get excited about Windows 8.
1. It will build on Windows 7
When
Windows Vista launched, it was a problem from the very beginning. Consumers,
enterprise users and even vendors took issue with the platform, and Microsoft
was forced to quickly get Windows 7 to the market to stem its losses. But when
it did so, nearly everyone was impressed with what the operating system
offered. And in the process, Microsoft rebuilt its ailing brand. With Windows
8,
Microsoft is promising to build upon the success of Windows 7. That alone
should get Microsoft fans excited.
2. An application marketplace
One
of the nice additions to Mac OS X "Lion" is an application
marketplace, allowing users to download digital copies of programs right to
their Macs. In Windows 8, expect a Windows Apps Marketplace to be included,
allowing that operating system's users to do the same. It's a nice addition,
and it will make getting programs onto the Windows platform easier, far more
convenient and-one might even hope-less expensive than it has been in the past.
3. Microsoft's next answer to Lion
Speaking
of Lion, it's worth noting that the operating system is a nice step up over
"Snow Leopard," its predecessor. With Mac OS X Lion, Apple has
delivered over 250 improvements, including the addition of LaunchPad, Mission
Control and more touch gestures. In many ways, it can be viewed as superior to
Windows 7. But Windows 8 will be designed specifically to address Lion. If all
goes well, it should be even more capable than Lion. Why wouldn't folks be
excited by that?
4. The tablet consideration
One
of Microsoft's biggest problems has been its inability to adequately carve out
a portion of the tablet market. However, with Windows 8,
it hopes to change that by offering full multitouch support in the operating
system. Given the importance of tablets today and the fact that many
enterprise users especially are waiting for a worthwhile Windows-based tablet,
the software giant's focus on multitouch could be one of the more exciting
additions to Windows 8.
Email
Print
