Microsoft to bring the 'next generation' of Windows very soon

CEO Satya Nadella says he is "incredibly excited" about the next update to Windows

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has said that the company is working on the 'next generation' of Windows.

At his keynote speech for Microsoft's Build 2021 conference, Nadella revealed that he has been personally testing "the most significant updates to Windows" for the past several months, and is "incredibly excited" about it.

The CEO expects the new version of the OS to unlock better economic opportunities for creators and developers.

"Our promise to you is this: We will create more opportunity for every Windows developer today and welcome every creator who is looking for the most innovative, new, open platform to build and distribute and monetise applications," Nadella said.

Microsoft posted a new job listing earlier this year, seeking a senior software engineer to join the Windows Core User Experiences team.

The successful candidate would 'work with our key platform, Surface, and OEM partners to orchestrate and deliver a sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows experiences,' the posting said.

The company also stated that the redesign must signal to customers that 'Windows is BACK' - ensuring that 'Windows is considered the best user OS experience for customers'.

Microsoft has been working on a new app store for Windows in recent months, according to reports, which will offer developers more flexibility when distributing their software.

The new changes will reportedly allow third-party commerce platforms in apps, so developers could use their own payments system - avoiding Microsoft's 15 per cent cut on apps and 12 per cent cut on games.

In addition, significant UI updates are also expected in the next iteration of Windows.

Nadella did not say when the new Windows update will be released, but reports suggest that it is targeted for the second half of 2021.

The teaser about the 'next generation' of Windows comes just a week after Microsoft said that it was ending development on Windows 10X - a lightweight version of the Windows 10.

Microsoft announced Windows 10X in 2019 as an operating system designed for use on dual-screen devices, like the indefinitely delayed Surface Neo, before coming to standard laptops.

However, the company changed its mind in 2020, announcing a 'pivot' to focus on single-screen devices (anyone else having flashbacks to Windows RT? - Ed.).

"Following a year-long exploration and engaging in conversations with customers, we realised that the technology of Windows 10X could be useful in more ways and serve more customers than we originally imagined. We concluded that the 10X technology shouldn't just be confined to a subset of customers," John Cable, head of Windows servicing and delivery, said in a blog post.

"Instead of bringing a product called Windows 10X to market in 2021 like we originally intended, we are leveraging learnings from our journey thus far and accelerating the integration of key foundational 10X technology into other parts of Windows and products at the company."

The best bits of Windows 10X will be integrated into the main version of Windows 10, according to Cable.