Chief operating officer of Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ), Kevin Turner, told Japanese news service Nikkei that the company plans to release its new Windows 10 operating system by autumn 2015.
Earlier, however, Turner had suggested the possibility of releasing the new OS earlier - by late summer and early fall next year at the Credit Suisse Technology conference.
In September this year, Microsoft revealed the name Windows 10. It said that the leap in numbers from 8 to 10 was its way to combine the manner people work on tablets, phones and traditional computers.
For more than two months, an early test version of Windows 10 - which brings together the customary look and popular start menu with newer features - was on offer for download from Microsoft's website.
According to Nikkei, the latest version will incorporate an intelligent personal assistant that foresees what users are up to.
However, if Microsoft really wants to remain germane in the desktop scene and give a boost to PC sales, it needs to be very careful about its pricing strategy.
Consumers have become accustomed to free updates on Android, iOS and Chrome operating systems. Microsoft is ready to recognize this issue. Turner recently disclosed that the company is looking at various monetization strategies.
According to tech research firm Gartner, Windows is still a central part of Microsoft's business and leads the desktop computing space. However, due to the growth of smartphones and tablets, only 14% of the devices worldwide use Windows.
Microsoft currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
