Historically Microsoft has launched a new OS every 3 years. However, with both iOS and Android increasingly updating and evolving Microsoft has been required to up its game. Just a few months after we got Windows 8.1 it appears that in August of September of this year we could see the return of the Start menu.
Many desktop users have been requesting this feature for a while now and when it returns it will be a hybrid between the Windows 7 Start menu and the tile based Windows 8 Start screen. Whilst for us end users this may be good, and for Microsoft it allows them to compete with Apple and Google, it may cause them a headache with businesses in general.
A rapid release cycle may not be appreciated by large scale businesses that have a significant number of users. For example, earlier this year when we got Windows 8.1 Microsoft initially said that it would come with a 30 day support cycle. However, due to a blacklash from businesses this was extended to 120 days. It would seem whilst we want changes from Microsoft we are slow to adopt them and adjust.
So it seems as if Microsoft is faced with quite a challenge. On the one hand it has to compete with the more flexible and adaptable iOS and Android, and yet because its customers are large scale businesses and institutions, that aren’t known for adopting change quickly and readily, it has to appease them as that’s where its revenue comes from. We wish them luck.