Microsoft expected to say 'good riddance' to Windows 8

MICROSOFT IS PLANNING to unveil its successor to Windows 8 next month.

The company is expected to hold a special press event showing off what’s likely to be called Windows 9 on 30 September, according to The Verge.

The software, currently codenamed ‘Threshold’, will feature a number of changes which will see it go back to its roots.

Such changes include the return of the Start button, and the ability to run Metro apps in desktop windows, instead of requiring you to switch between two different settings.

It will also include the removal of the Charms bar, a sidebar menu designed to replace the Start bar in Windows 8, as well as a number of interface changes.

The update could include an early version of Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant, although it’s not clear if it will be ready in time.

It’s expected that a preview version will be made available to developers shortly after this event.

Back in April, the company released Windows 8.1 as a way of addressing some of the problems associated with Windows 8. The changes were geared towards keyboard and mouse users since the original version was designed with desktops in mind.

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