Windows 12 Rumors: AI Boost, Modular Core, and Floating UI Spark Intrigue

Microsoft’s next major Windows release, colloquially referred to as Windows 12, is generating buzz despite not being officially announced yet. More AI-powered features and modular system design are just a couple of the leaks and rumors swirling around the anticipated operating system.

Release timeline remains uncertain: While Microsoft has not definitively confirmed Windows 12 development, clues suggest it could arrive sometime in 2025:

• Microsoft recently moved to an annual feature update cadence for Windows, with the next logical release window for a major version being around September or October 2025.
• This timeline would coincide with the end of support for Windows 10, potentially driving upgrades to the latest OS version.

Leaks hint at key focus areas: Noted Microsoft leaker Zac Bowden has revealed some potential highlights of the next Windows release, codenamed “Hudson Valley”:

• More AI will be built into the OS, expanding on innovations introduced with Windows 11’s Copilot feature and capitalizing on the rise of dedicated AI hardware in PCs.
• A shift to lightweight, modular code could enable smoother updates, better security, and increased ability to tailor Windows to specific use cases and form factors.

Ignite presentation teases possible UI changes: A Windows desktop interface shown at Microsoft’s Ignite 2023 conference featured noticeable differences from Windows 11:

• The taskbar and search bar floated, detached from the bottom and top screen edges respectively. System icons moved to the top-right corner and a weather button appeared top-left.
• However, these design tweaks alone may not justify a whole new version number and could face backlash from users with deeply ingrained Windows interaction habits.

Windows-as-a-service model will continue: Microsoft has made clear that the steady stream of updates and feature additions that defined Windows 10 and 11 will carry forward:

• Regular feature updates, both major annual releases and interim enhancements, enable the OS to evolve continuously rather than through infrequent monolithic version shifts.
• A move to a fully modular, componentized core could further streamline this approach, though it’s uncertain whether this initiative, sometimes called Core OS or CorePC, will come to fruition in the next release.

Broader implications and lingering questions: As anticipation builds for Microsoft’s vision of the next era of Windows, key points to watch include:

• How significantly the Windows user experience will transform as AI infuses more of the core OS and app experiences – will it prove truly helpful or fall into Clippy-like controversy?
• Whether Windows 12 will finally conquor the Arm platform performance gap, as Apple has so successfully done, and how critical NPU-powered AI features will shape the future PC landscape.
• If a lightweight, modular Windows core materializes, how might it reshape Microsoft’s ability to adapt the OS for new device categories and use cases beyond the PC?
• While a subscription-based Windows remains an unlikely path, would a free tier subsidized by ads and promotions appeal to some users and OEMs?

With Windows 10’s retirement on the horizon, all eyes will be on Microsoft to see whether Windows 12 arrives as a revolutionary leap or a more evolutionary refinement of the world’s most prevalent operating system. As the strategic importance of AI rises, the next Windows will need to balance interface continuity with infusing intelligence in ways that truly enrich the experience for the over 1 billion users who rely on Windows to power their digital lives.