Rumors surrounding the upcoming updates and versions of Microsoft Windows have already started. Latest reports suggest that Microsoft is working on the next major upgrade to Windows currently codenamed as "Threshold". It is not yet clear whether the Threshold update is the Windows 9 version. So far, one major change that seems to be incorporated in the upcoming update is that Microsoft will disable the Metro-style live tiles by default for desktops.
It is expected that Metro apps and the UI will still be accessible from a hybrid Start menu on Windows tablets and hybrids. For now, a second update to Windows 8.1 is expected to be the next upgrade which might be called Update 2 even though the name is not confirmed yet. According to ZDNet, the second update should be rolled out in August this year and a preview release of the Threshold version might be available in the last quarter of this year.
Arstechnica notes that while Google and Apple seem to be embracing Microsoft's Metro design, the latter is trying to back away from it.
Despite featuring new innovative design, Windows 8 was unable to garner the expected attention from users which could have pushed Microsoft to take such steps. For now, all these reports are just rumors and we will keep an eye out for any new substantial reports surrounding the upcoming updates in Windows. So far, what we know for sure is that the second update for Windows 8.1 expected in August should feature some small interface changes.
Some reports suggest otherwise. According to Neowin, Microsoft will keep the modern UI available on desktops which can be run in a windowed mode including the new hybrid Start menu with the ability to launch un-pinned apps. This will also give mouse and keyboard users on the desktops the option of whether they wish to use the Metro UI or not.
While all these rumors cannot be confirmed as of yet, it is still obvious that Microsoft seems to be listening to its users who have had problems with all the new changes that the company brought in Windows 8. We can only expect Windows to get better from here.