Technology giant Microsoft will today hold a day-long press and analyst event in Redmond, Washington, where CEO Satya Nadella and several other executives will provide a deeper look at the upcoming Windows 10 operating system.
Windows 10 will be the first OS to be unveiled under Nadella, and is expected to launch around spring (locally) this year, a launch that comes about three years after the debut of the current Windows 8 OS.
After holding a similar technical preview of Windows 10 aimed at businesses last October, and releasing a test version, the company is now showcasing the new software to a broader audience.
Today's event is likely to attract significant interest from users, who will no doubt seek to move away from the company's incumbent OS, Windows 8, which largely underwhelmed and has been widely described as a failure.
Right direction
BMI-TechKnowledge analyst Clinton Jacobs says Windows 10 is a step in the right direction and looks set to allow Microsoft to bounce back from the mistakes it made with Windows 8.
"It is almost as if every second or third version of the Windows OS is a dud and then they quickly rectify their mistake. For example, 8.1 was a quick fix of Windows 8, and 10 may well be the one that successfully builds on the latter versions."
Chris Williamson, BMI-TechKnowledge IT manager, who has been using the Windows 10 technical preview for about two months, says the new OS rights a number of wrongs that users found with Windows 8.
In terms of installation, he says, there are fewer driver issues, booting up is quicker and it is less clumsy. The problem with Windows 8, notes Williamson, is that it was too big a jump from Windows 7 and it confused users. Ease of navigation was the key issue, he notes.
Windows 8 appears to be a combination of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
Sneak peek
Microsoft server technician Jonathan Sinden says previews normally allow developers to assess if their apps are compatible with the platform, while at the same time giving end-users a sneak peek at the OS.
This, he says, would include new functions, and aspects from previous iterations that have been removed.
However, today's preview will see Microsoft take this a step further by unveiling it to the press, in a bid to ensure the new OS gains traction in the market. It will also invite press feedback on where further improvements can be made.
He adds the company has realised it has made a "real mess" of Windows 8 and aims to avoid making the same mistake again.
According to Sinden, Windows 7 is still the best used of Microsoft's operating systems as Windows 8 failed to gain traction. "It's really not [seen] great uptake at all."
Most comprehensive OS
Microsoft unveiled the Windows 10 name in late September last year, explaining the leap from Windows 8 to 10 signifies the move to unify the way people work on tablets, phones and traditional computers.
At the time, Terry Myerson, executive VP of the operating systems group at Microsoft, said Windows 10 represents the first step of a whole new generation of Windows, "unlocking new experiences to give customers new ways to work, play and connect".
"This will be our most comprehensive operating system and the best release Microsoft has ever done for our business customers, and we look forward to working together with our broader Windows community to bring Windows 10 to life in the months ahead," Myerson stated.
According to Microsoft, Windows 10 adapts to the devices customers are using ? from Xbox to PCs, and phones to tablets and tiny gadgets ? and what they're doing, with a consistent, familiar and compatible experience.
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