Windows 9 preview reportedly coming in late September

Microsoft is preparing to launch a preview version of its next operating system, Windows 9, next month, reports ZDnet.

We first heard news about Windows 9, previously codenamed Threshold, at the beginning of the year. This version of the OS is rumored to focus more on consumer-facing support, which is one thing that was lacking in Windows 8 and the lack of which could have contributed to the slow rate of upgrades. Personally, the way Microsoft handles updates has really been a pain in the ass in my own experience of using a Windows 8 desktop machine. We hope this is one area that becomes less painful in the next OS.

The report indicates that the Windows 9 preview is due out in late September or early October, with the regular release coming in spring of 2015.

Windows 9 is rumored to contain a slew of changes, including the reappearance of a Start Menu at launch, Metro-style apps that exist in the background on desktops, getting rid of the annoying hidden sidebar navigation buttons, and even an early version of Microsoft’s virtual assistant tech, Cortana.