Windows 8 – Features and SKUs Not Set in Stone

Windows 8 is still very much still in development and will continue to be for quite some time, Steven Sinofsky, President, Windows and Windows Live Division, stressed this week. 

Microsoft has started sharing more and more details with the public on its upcoming release of the Windows client. 

Per the communications strategy for the Windows project, information on the evolution of the operating system is only shared with the public when there’s sufficient confidence that the company would be able to deliver on the promises made to users. 

Since the launch of the ‘Building Windows 8’ blog, the software giant has been talking about a range of enhancements, including native ISO and VHD support, Ribbon UI Windows Explorer, USB 3.0, file management improvements, and the Metro UI. 

I’d dare say that all the items enumerated above will make it into Windows 8, and I don’t think I’m going out on a limb saying so. 

But at the same time, Steven Sinofsky, President, Windows and Windows Live Division stresses that Microsoft is still far from wrapping up Windows 8, and as such, no feature is really set in stone. 

While new features might still be introduced and existing ones removed, the company is also yet to finalize its SKU strategy. The Windows 8 Enterprise edition is pretty much confirmed, but nothing else beyond that. 

A broader Windows 8 testing program will unfold over the coming months, the Windows boss promised, and early adopters are bound to at least make an idea of what the RTM version of the OS will bring to the table. 

“In the coming months, many folks will be testing pre-release builds of Windows 8. As everyone knows, two things are always the case early on. First, the software is not done and things will change—features will be added and removed. Second, the different editions or SKUs are not developed or announced until late in the development process (closer to market availability),” Sinofsky added.

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