Microsoft might just have confirmed Windows (12) release alongside leaked Office 2024 images

At the end of September this year, Microsoft's in-house word processor and text editor Word celebrated its 40th birthday and we did a special feature looking back at its history, development, and evolution. Of course, Microsoft, too, did something similar to celebrate the app's birth anniversary. It also talked a bit about what users can expect in the future from the application.

And although it was not all that elaborate, it may not be too long before we have more details. The first screenshots of Office LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) 2024 Preview are out, courtesy of Windows enthusiast and X (formerly Twitter) user techosaurusrex.

What is more though is that Microsoft seems to also confirm that the successor to the current Windows client OS (Windows 11), casually referred to as "Windows 12" by the community, could indeed be released next year, ie, in 2024.

On the Twitter post by techosaurusrex about the Office 2024 Preview where the user also mentions the "New Windows Client", the official Windows Insider Twitter (X) handle responded with the comment "The future is bright indeed":

Now it is difficult to say for sure what that statement exactly means as it is not a direct explicit confirmation, though it is likely that Microsoft kept it ambiguous on purpose as if referring to the next Windows 11 yearly feature update (the version 23H2 was launched recently).

However, reports going back to 2022 have also suggested that Microsoft is making a move back to its three-year release cadence which means Windows 11 is expected to be replaced by the next client version. An Intel executive too stated that 2024 was when Microsoft was planning for a "Windows Refresh".

In terms of the leaked Office 2024 LTSC Preview screenshots, the user posted three images as you can see in the table below. The version and build numbers are "2312" and "17102.20000" respectively. The latest (October 2023) Office LTSC 2021 update is Version 2108 (Build 14332.20582):

The one at the top shows Word as part of Microsoft Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024 Preview while the two bottom ones are photos of Project Professional 2024 Preview (left) and Visio LTSC Professional 2024 Preview (right).

Source and images: techosaurusrex (X / Twitter)