Qualcomm, a prominent partner of Microsoft and a leading chip manufacturer, has disclosed the anticipated release date of the entirely new Windows 12 operating system. Cristiano Amon, the CEO of Qualcomm, has unveiled the schedule for the launch of Snapdragon X Elite, a chip built on the latest ARM architecture designed for personal computers running Windows.
According to Amon, the Snapdragon X Elite chip will be introduced simultaneously with Windows 12 to “anticipate the back-to-school season,” indicating a likely mid-year release for Windows 12. “The launch timing of this chipset is tied to Microsoft’s next version of Windows, incorporating numerous artificial intelligence (AI) features. We, in collaboration with Microsoft, have set the product launch for mid-2024, ready for the back-to-school season,” shared CEO Cristiano Amon.
Qualcomm’s CEO further revealed that Windows 12 will integrate various AI features developed by OpenAI. Given Microsoft’s significant investment in OpenAI, the company is poised to leverage the AI capabilities, including the ChatGPT chat software and the AI tool converting text to images.
The disclosed launch date for Windows 12 by Qualcomm’s CEO aligns with previously leaked information and rumors. Last year, an executive from Intel also revealed that Windows 12 would be launched in 2024. In December 2023, The Commercial Times (Taiwan) cited sources close to Microsoft and Windows PC manufacturing partners in Taiwan, stating that Windows 12 would be unveiled in June 2024.
The Commercial Times sources also indicated that Windows 12 would be the first Windows version to focus on AI features, enhancing user support. This development is in line with the current technology trend where AI has become prominent.
Chip manufacturers such as Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm are prepared to introduce new processor generations integrated with Neural Processing Unit (NPU), specialized processors for AI-related tasks. NPU is designed to optimize processing for AI algorithms, including artificial neural networks, machine learning, computer vision, etc.
If the leaked information holds true, Microsoft will introduce Windows 12 just under three years after the release of Windows 11 on October 5, 2021. However, even with an early release, Microsoft may face challenges convincing users to upgrade to the new operating system, as Windows 11 is still not widely embraced by users.
According to market research by StatCounter, Windows 10 remains the most favored and utilized Windows version, holding a 67.42% market share for Windows-based computers. Windows 11 follows in second place with only a 26.54% market share. Remarkably, older Windows versions such as Windows 7 and XP, though long discontinued by Microsoft, still maintain significant user percentages, with 3.5% and 0.64% market shares, respectively. This indicates a preference among users for older Windows versions rather than opting for newer releases.