Microsoft to launch new version of Windows on 24 June

Nadella says the next generation of Windows will offer more opportunity for creators and developers

Microsoft announced Wednesday that it would unveil 'the next generation of Windows' on 24th June.

"Join us June 24th at 11 am ET for the #MicrosoftEvent to see what's next," the company stated in a tweet on Wednesday.

The event will be held online, according to an invitation sent to reporters. CEO Satya Nadella and chief product officer Panos Panay will demo the new software, CNBC reported.

The announcement comes about a week after Nadella teased major enhancements to Microsoft's operating system at the Build 2021 conference, promising that the next version of the OS would offer more opportunity for creators and developers.

Nadella said he had been personally testing "the most significant updates to Windows" for several months, and was "incredibly excited" about it.

"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.

According to media reports, the new update to Microsoft's OS is codenamed 'Sun Valley' and it brings refreshed UI elements, along with other changes.

Windows Central reported earlier this year that the new Windows update will feature a redesigned taskbar that could have pinned apps. It could make the system tray work better with touch screen devices, along with features such as a news and interests widget in the taskbar, a battery usage chart and better tab management on Microsoft's Edge browser.

Reports also claim that Microsoft has been working on a Windows Store revamp, which will offer more flexibility to developers when distributing their software. The new changes will allow more file formats and third-party payment systems, enabling developers to avoid Microsoft's 15 per cent cut on apps and 12 per cent cut on games.

The Verge also reported in March that the company is planning to bring the Auto HDR feature to enhance the gaming experience for PC users.

Nadella's remark about the 'next generation' of Windows came just a week after Microsoft disclosed it was ending development on Windows 10X and some of its features will come to Windows 10 in an update.

Microsoft announced Windows 10X - a lightweight version of the Windows 10 - in 2019 as an operating system designed for use on dual-screen devices. However, the company changed its mind in 2020, announcing a pivot to focus on single-screen devices.

In a blog post last month, John Cable, the head of Windows servicing and delivery, wrote that "the technology of Windows 10X could be useful in more ways and serve more customers than we originally imagined."

Cable said that the best bits of Windows 10X would be integrated into the main version of Windows 10.

Microsoft launched Windows 10 in July 2015 with a one-year free offer for users of Windows Vista and Windows 7. In March 2019, the company announced that its PC operating system was running on 800 million machines.

For Microsoft, Windows 10 is the source of 14 per cent of its total revenue, and it has received two updates each year since its launch in 2015. The latest Windows 10 update, which was rolled out last month, came with only a few changes.