At BUILD 2014, Microsoft surprised many by showing off a Start menu that will be making its way back into Windows. After Windows 8 debuted without the iconic feature, there was a great deal of negative feedback, and along with numerous other contentious issues surrounding the OS, it eventually lead to the departure of Steven Sinofsky.
But with Windows 8.1 and its first major update, Microsoft has been slowly re-introducing classic features and has made a commitment to making the OS more mouse- and keyboard-friendly.
Ever since the Start menu was shown off, everyone has been wondering when we will see it return to the OS and, according to Wzor, the answer will be this fall.
Right now, it is unclear if the update to bring the Start menu back will be called Windows 8.2, or will simply be "Windows 8.1 Update 2". Either way, this is the first bit of semi-credible information about when we can expect the Start menu to return to the OS.
Now, grab a pinch of salt as Wzor is also dishing more information about a future cloud iteration of Windows. We should clarify that a move to Windows as a service (WAAS) is well-known, and a logical move for the company - but what’s new here is that the OS would supposedly be free, with premium feature subscriptions.
The Windows cloud OS is not something we should expect to see in the near future, and it will take Microsoft quite a while to prepare this new form of Windows so that it’s functionally complete for the end-user.
The return of the Start menu this fall seems logical, as Microsoft already knows that, with the cat out of the bag, they must act swiftly to deliver on these promises. If they wait too long, they run the risk of angering users once again, so it is in their best interest to get this feature out the door as soon as possible.
If you are curious about what all the new Start menu will bring when it returns (as this is not your grandma’s Start menu) you can check out our closer look here.