The next major version of Windows is nearly complete, promising a new era of artificial intelligence computing. According to the latest report from Taiwan's "Business Times", Windows 12 will be released next summer, more precisely in June 2024. The speeches made by Quanta Chairman Baili Lin and Acer Chairman and CEO Chen Junsheng when they participated in the Taiwan Medical Technology Exhibition on November 30 seemed to reveal this release time window.
Chairman Quanta pointed out that spending on generative AI (GenerativeAI) has increased in recent years and will exceed US$1.37 billion in 2022, which is approximately equivalent to the total of the previous five years. He also said that once Windows 12 arrives, artificial intelligence PCs are expected to be launched one after another. But he admitted that although market demand is difficult to estimate, in any case this will be a good opportunity for the industry.
Acer's CEO echoed a similar sentiment, not seeming convinced that AI-powered PCs will explode overnight. Instead, consumer behavior takes time to adapt to their functionality. Ultimately, AIPC will surely bring new usage models, further driving demand.
The launch date of Windows 12 in mid-2024 coincides with previous rumors about this issue. As early as October, Intel CFO Dave Zinsner mentioned that a "Windows update" is expected to be launched next year. He also said that the chipmaker believes next year's update will do well for its client business.
Previous rumors stated that Windows 12 will be launched in the fall of 2024 and officially released in 2025. Rumors at the time suggested that the operating system would focus on artificial intelligence and might include independent "states" that existed in different parts of the storage drive. The feature will reportedly make it easier to manage and update the operating system, reducing hassle for end users.
The floating taskbar that Microsoft accidentally showed on a slide at Ignite 2023 may also appear in the new operating system.