LIMA, Peru
Microsoft confirmed Friday that it will discontinue its Windows operating system with the release of Windows 10.
The tech giant’s development executive, Jerry Nixon, discussed the future of Windows at Microsoft’s Ignite developers conference earlier this week in Chicago.
“Right now we're releasing Windows 10, and because Windows 10 is the last version of Windows, we're all still working on Windows 10," he said.
Windows 10 is due this summer. By skipping a number after Windows 8, Microsoft’s current and less-than-beloved OS, the company is already attempting to show it is on a new path-- one that might completely revise the legendary software that boosted Microsoft to fame and made founder Bill Gates one of the richest men on the planet.
Microsoft is recasting Windows as a service instead of standalone software.
"Recent comments at Ignite about Windows 10 are reflective of the way Windows will be delivered as a service bringing new innovations and updates in an ongoing manner, with continuous value for our consumer and business customers," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement.
Instead of dumping the well-known operating system, Nixon said the company would consistently roll out updates.
“We aren't speaking to future branding at this time, but customers can be confident Windows 10 will remain up-to-date and power a variety of devices from PCs to phones to Surface Hub to HoloLens and Xbox,” Microsoft continued in its statement. “We look forward to a long future of Windows innovations.”
Nixon also said the company was already secretly working on Windows 10 when it released Windows 8.1 last year.
With the new system, the company will no longer have to worry about keeping updates confidential.
