Windows 9 - 09-09-2014

An interesting question is circulating online kicked off by Microsoft watcher Michael Gillett last Saturday: What will Microsoft name the next version of Windows? I know, that doesn't sound very interesting since people ask this question every time a new version of Windows is on the horizon. Besides, we already know the next version of the OS will be called Windows 9 (codenamed Threshold) just like we "knew" Windows 8 was the name for the follow-up to Windows 7.

But there might be more to it this time around. Could Microsoft be getting ready to dump all its various numbering and naming schemes and just say that all of its products are running Windows?

Not Windows 8.1, Windows 9, Windows Phone, or Windows RT—just "Windows." Gillett, who is based in the U.K., brought this up after noticing that a Lumia 930 commercial for the British market never mentions Windows Phone. The OS is referred to simply as "Windows" and uses that name to refer to Windows Phone, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT.