Menu
PC, tablet makers get Windows 8.1

PC, tablet makers get Windows 8.1

Devices with this Windows 8 update should be available in time for the holiday shopping season

Microsoft has started sending Windows 8.1 to its hardware manufacturers, hitting the so-called RTM milestone for the much-awaited update to Windows 8.

Both Windows 8.1 for x86 machines and Windows RT 8.1 for ARM-based devices have begun shipping to makers of PCs, tablets and laptops, Microsoft said via a blog Tuesday.

In the past, the RTM release also meant the OS was ready "for broader customer use," but that's changed now, in part because the OS has to work with such a broad variety of devices, wrote Microsoft official Antoine Leblond.

"As such, we've had to evolve the way we develop and the time in which we deliver to meet customers with the experience they need, want and expect. We've had to work closer to our hardware partners than ever before," he wrote.

By shipping the OS to hardware makers now, Windows 8.1 devices will be ready in time for the year-end holidays, according to Leblond.

"Over the next several months we'll see beautiful, powerful devices, from the smallest tablets to the most lightweight notebooks to versatile 2-in-1s, as well as industry devices designed for business," he wrote.

Windows 8.1 is slated for shipping Oct. 18, when it will be "broadly available for commercial customers with or without volume licensing agreements, our broad partner ecosystem, subscribers to MSDN and TechNet, as well as consumers."

Billed as one of the company's most critical products, Windows 8 started shipping in October of last year, sporting a drastically different user interface. That Modern interface based on tile icons was optimized for touchscreen devices to make Windows a better OS for tablets and improve its position against Apple's iOS and Android.

However, complaints from consumers and enterprise users rained down on Microsoft over a variety of issues, including the learning curve for users to get comfortable and familiar with the new interface.

In Windows 8.1, Microsoft is trying to address that and other main objections. For example, it's adding something very close to the Windows 7 Start button, which the company took away in Windows 8.

With Windows 8.1, Microsoft will also attempt to improve the interplay between the new Modern interface and the more traditional Windows 7-like desktop, which lets users run legacy applications. For example, it will be possible for users to boot directly to the traditional desktop interface, and toggling between the two will supposedly be smoother.

In Windows 8.1, users will also be able to view all the applications installed on their device and sort them by name, date installed, most used or category. It will also have an improved search engine powered by Bing that will return results from a variety of sources, including the Web, applications, local files and the SkyDrive cloud storage service.

Also new are options for seeing multiple applications on the screen simultaneously, including the ability to resize apps, for improved multitasking. Windows 8.1 also comes with Internet Explorer 11, a new version of Microsoft's browser that the company has said will load pages faster and offer better performance in touchscreen mode.

Windows 8.1 users will also be able to make a Skype call and take photos with the Windows 8.1 device while the screen is in Lock mode without having to log in. It will be possible as well for users to select multiple applications at once and perform bulk actions on them, like resizing, uninstalling and rearranging them.

Juan Carlos Perez covers enterprise communication/collaboration suites, operating systems, browsers and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Juan on Twitter at @JuanCPerezIDG.

Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.

Join the newsletter!

Or

Sign up to gain exclusive access to email subscriptions, event invitations, competitions, giveaways, and much more.

Membership is free, and your security and privacy remain protected. View our privacy policy before signing up.

Error: Please check your email address.

Tags Microsoftsoftwarehardware systems

More about AppleIDGMicrosoftSkypeTechNet

Show Comments
[]