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Microsoft confirms: Windows Blue upgrade to launch this year

Microsoft will launch its first major upgrade for Windows 8 later on this year, the company has confirmed. Officially dubbed Windows 8.1 but known in the tech world by its slightly more riveting codename of Windows Blue, the update will add plenty to the latest OS.

The Redmond company recently hosted an online Q&A session about Windows 8 with Tami Reller, Chief Marketing Office and Chief Financial Office at Microsoft.

When questioned about Windows Blue, Reller replied;

“Windows Blue is a codename for an update that will be available later this year, building on the bold vision set forward with Windows 8 to deliver the next generation of tablets and PCs. It will deliver the latest new innovations across an increasingly broad array of form factors of all sizes, display, battery life and performance, while creating new opportunities for our ecosystem”

We’ve already caught a glimpse of what the update could entail thanks to preview copies leaking online. Microsoft will be bringing back the split screen app functionality of Windows 7, along with the much-missed static Start button of old.

Amongst the news of Windows 8.1’s forthcoming arrival we also learned that over 100 million licenses of Windows 8 are now active on various devices around the world. This includes both new Windows 8 devices sold and upgrades done on older models. We’re also told that there are now some 2,400 Windows 8 and Windows RT devices in existence, so choice is certainly growing for would-be adopters of the new OS.