There have been rumors suggesting that Windows 12 will be launched in 2024, however, a leaked Windows expert named Zac Bowden has hinted that this may not be the case.
According to GearRice, in a recent report, Bowden suggested that Microsoft might change its approach to the upcoming operating system update, causing the long-awaited Windows 12 to potentially not appear as soon as users had expected.
The reason behind this decision could be to avoid further fragmentation of the Windows user base. With only 28.6% of current Windows users transitioning to Windows 11 since its launch in October 2021, introducing Windows 12 in 2024 could complicate the situation further.
Microsoft has announced the end-of-life date for Windows 10 but promises to provide paid security updates until 2028. This means many users may opt to delay updating their systems too quickly, and the slow rollout of Windows 12 could be a new setback for the company, similar to what happened with Windows 11.
Currently, only 400 million out of 1.4 billion Windows users are running Windows 11, as their systems cannot meet the new requirements set by Microsoft, while others do not find Windows 11 meeting their desired standards.
According to Bowden’s report, there is a shift in Microsoft’s strategy. Under the previous leadership of Panos Panay, Microsoft abandoned annual updates for Windows and focused on releasing major updates every few years, with regular smaller updates. Now, Bowden suggests that Microsoft’s leadership is returning to the idea of releasing a major feature update every year, which could have consequences for the user base, especially for those unable to update due to modern hardware requirements.
With all these considerations, there is a possibility that Hudson Valley (the codename for the operating system under development) is indeed a new Windows 11 focused on AI and set to be launched in 2024. This version may integrate more AI-based features into the Windows ecosystem, such as Copilot and other recent developments.