It may feel like only a short time since Microsoft issued an update for Windows 8, but another one is on the way.
Scheduled to land next month, the update was leaked a little early, giving users an idea of what to expect when Microsoft pushes out the latest finesse to its touch-screen optimised operating system.
The fact that the update was leaked online isn’t unusual in itself – it’s more unusual these days if companies manage to keep their plans entirely under wraps until they’re ready to unveil all – but the manner in which the leak happened was more noteworthy: Microsoft’s own update site.
The “leak” was plugged a short while later, but not before the update made its way on to numerous download sites. So what can we expect when the official update lands in April?
The company has been, it seems, paying attention to the demands of its customers as it tries to sway them to the new operating system.
There may be some changes in the final build that goes public next month, but so far it seems to show a leaner, sleeker Windows 8 that doesn’t take up as much space on your device.
If you are one of those who are clinging to your keyboard and mouse, this update is expected to make the Windows 8 experience a little less frustrating.
Some reports indicate that boot to desktop will be the default for these machines rather than the Start-screen-formerly-known-as-Metro.
The Metro-style menu is still very much in evidence, so don’t expect too much of a change there.
The Windows 8.1 update brought back a sort-of Start button – and that’s probably about as much concession as Microsoft will give on that front.
The power button and search feature are more front and centre than in previous iterations, eliminating the need for users to go hunting for the “charms” that Windows 8 hid away in a side menu.
The taskbar, meanwhile, makes the leap from the desktop to the Start screen and “metro” apps – but only for non-touchscreen users.
Most usefully, there now appears to be minimise and close buttons for metro-style apps, bringing them in line with their desktop brethren.
If you have been using Windows 8 on a touch screen, that won’t be as big a deal to you, but for those on keyboard and mouse, it solves a frustrating issue.
Microsoft’s tweaking is not entirely without cause.
According to the latest figures from StatCounter, almost 20 per cent of desktops are still using Windows XP, software that was released more than a decade ago. Microsoft stopped selling it via retail in 2008, and PCs with it preinstalled disappeared from shelves in late 2010. Vista doesn’t have quite the same level of support, although its successor Windows 7 has done better for the Redmond tech giant.
In the last month, the independent website analytics firm said more than 50 per cent of Irish website traffic came from Windows 7 machines, compared with 8 per cent on Vista and 9 per cent on Windows 8. A further 5 per cent accessed through Windows 8.1-enabled machines.
On April 8th, though, Microsoft is pulling support for the XP system, which means no more updates for the system. “This has serious implications for users, especially businesses, as lack of support may leave their data and systems at risk of exposure to security and virus issues,” says Aodhan Cullen, chief executive at StatCounter.
Will the new Windows update persuade people to make the change to Windows 8? While the system is much improved, it may take more to give users ingrained in their ways that extra impetus to jump to the latest OS.
