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Windows 10 is an upcoming release of the Microsoft Windows operating system. Unveiled on September 30, 2014, it will be released in late-2015.
Development
In April 2014 at the Build Conference, Microsoft's Terry Myerson unveiled an update to Windows 8.1 that added the ability to run Windows Store apps inside desktop windows, and the restoration of a traditional Start menu, which creates a compromise between the Start menu design used by Windows 7 and the full-screen Start screen by combining the application listing in the first column with a second that can be used to display app tiles. Myerson stated that these changes would occur in a future update, but did not elaborate further. Microsoft also unveiled a concept known as "Universal Windows apps", in which a Windows Runtime app can be ported to Windows Phone 8.1 and Xbox One while sharing a common codebase. While it does not entirely unify Windows' app ecosystem with that of Windows Phone, it will allow developers to synchronize data between versions of their app on each platform, and bundle access to Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox One versions of an app in a single purchase.
It was later reported that the next revision of Windows 8 was codenamed "Threshold" and would be publicly released as "Windows 9", forming part of a wave of coordinated updates across multiple Microsoft platforms, including Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox One. Screenshots of leaked builds purported to be Threshold leaked in July 2014, revealing the previously presented Start menu and windowed apps, along with a new virtual desktop system, a notification center, and new, flatter system icons inspired by the Metro design language (replacing those first introduced on Windows Vista). In September 2014, Microsoft Indonesia president Andreas Diantoro stated that "Windows 9" would be available for free to existing Windows 8 users—putting Microsoft in line with the distribution model for new versions of Android, iOS, and OS X.
Threshold was officially unveiled during a media event on September 30, 2014 under the name Windows 10; Windows chief Terry Myerson explained that "it wouldn't be right to call it Windows 9", and joking that "Windows One" was already taken. Myerson elaborated that Windows 10 would be "our most comprehensive platform ever", providing a single, unified platform for desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and all-in-one devices. He also emphasized that while Windows 10 would take steps towards restoring user interface mechanics from Windows 7 in order to improve the experience for users on non-touch devices, it would also contain additional mechanics for handling devices that use both traditional inputs and a touchscreen (such as tablets with keyboard docks, and hybrid laptops).
Features
The user interface of Windows 10 is designed primarily to optimize its experience based on the type of device and available inputs, providing "the right experience on the right device at the right time." For non-touch devices, a variation of the previous Start menu is used as part of the desktop interface, featuring both a traditional listing of applications and a search box on the left side, along with Windows 8's live tiles on the right. A new virtual desktop system known as "Task View" was also added; clicking the Task View button on the taskbar displays all the windows currently open on a desktop in a cascaded, and allows switching between multiple workspaces.
