Windows 8 Milestone 3 builds now being compiled

Microsoft is hard at work on its next Windows release and we now have confirmation that Milestone 3 builds of Windows 8 are now being compiled.

There was information previously leaked that the builds we start on February 28 and that information appears to be correct. Infamous leaker Zukona has given information that the latest build of Windows 8 is 6.2.7956.0.winmain_win8m3.110228-1701 which indicates that it was compiled yesterday on 2/28/2011, via MDL. Zukona has provided a series of leaks in the past and it's among the most reliable when it comes to this kind of information.

Further information suggests that screenshots have not leaked in full because the M2 builds could be easily tracked to specific users. But, since M2 has now been finalized (according to the source) it will most likely be distributed to more users for testing purposes. This could lead to more information to leak out or possibly an entire build, but nothing has been leaked as of yet.

What does this all mean? It means that Microsoft is working hard on Windows 8 and is getting closer to a beta. It is expected that M3 builds will be completed this summer and that there may be a beta this Fall. While Microsoft has not provided any solid timelines, Mary-Jo Foley did obtain a roadmap that ties into the leaked information Zukona provided earlier today.