Start Menu May Arrive in Windows 8.1 Update 3

During BUILD 2014 in April, Microsoft’s Terry Myerson revealed that the beloved Start Menu would return to the Windows platform in the near future, but didn’t specify an actual release date. Presumably it was going to launch in Windows 8.1 Update 2 slated to arrive sometime during the August/September window. Now sources close to the project are reporting that the Start Menu will not arrive until Windows 8.1 Update 3. Yep, there’s a new update in the works.

Unnamed sources report that Windows 8.1 Update 3 will take place in Spring 2015, the same window that Windows 9 "Threshold" was supposed to be released. Does that mean Windows 9 is already seeing a delay? Sources now point to a Q2/Q3 window for "Threshold," which could mean that Update 3 will be released in April and Windows 9 in June.

Popular Windows leaker WZOR reports that Update 2 will be free to Windows 8.1 Update 1 users, and sold to all other Windows customers at an "affordable price." The same holds true for Windows 9: customers who upgraded to Update 3 will get the new OS for free. That sounds a bit "off," as Microsoft made Windows 7 users pay $40 for the Windows 8 upgrade when it was first released. Then again, we've heard this "free" argument before, as Microsoft supposedly wants everyone on the newest version.

In a separate report by a user at EightForums, "Indianatone" called Microsoft about an activation issue. In the conversation, this person asked about when Windows 9 would be released, and was told that it would arrive in about a year. This same rep also admitted that customer support was currently being trained for Windows 8.1 Update 2, which will be released in August or September through Windows Store, weighing 3 GB: the same as Update 1.

WZOR indicated last week that Microsoft plans to have a huge internal event sometime this week to discuss the overall plans for Windows. Update 2 is expected to get an RTM escrow during the event, and will be distributed to Microsoft employees willing to take the new OS for a test drive. In turn this trial will help Microsoft track down the software leakers.

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  • segio526
    I don't get it. If Windows 8.1 was a free update to Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 update 1 was a free update to Windows 8.1 and so on and so forth, exactly who on Windows 8+ is paying for these updates? Couldn't you just update in order and get all the way up to Windows 9 for free?
    Reply
  • mobrocket
    Funny because my home desktop of linux doesnt seem to need to have updates to have a "start menu"
    Reply
  • Osmin
    I found a use for both versions of the start menu and hope Microsoft allows both to be available at the same time. Either have the capability to show 2 start buttons or a single split button to open either version. Bring back the concept of widgets so we may place a calendar or weather widget on the desktop and they can be Windows 9 apps for security. This should bring back most of Windows 7 functionality sans Aero interface.
    Reply
  • Urzu1000
    I don't get it. If Windows 8.1 was a free update to Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 update 1 was a free update to Windows 8.1 and so on and so forth, exactly who on Windows 8+ is paying for these updates? Couldn't you just update in order and get all the way up to Windows 9 for free?

    Put simply, that's because there's many many people afraid of change. So many people are still on Windows 7 that will end up paying full price. They're probably also trying to push Windows 8 under the rug because of the horrible reputation it has, so giving the Windows 8 users a little bribe will decrease the negative pressure on the company - which in turn - will increase sales. I personally just use Start8, and everything has been magical.
    Reply
  • red77star
    I believe Microsoft will take different direction with Windows 9 meaning it will be like Office 365, cloud based subscription <Mod Edit>.

    I have feeling that MS is about to alienate their user base even further, correct me if i am wrong. People are not afraid of change but they don't want to go to something which sucks in every sense and Windows 8.x sucks. I just hope Microsoft doesn't remove option to have local account but force people to use outlook account in order to install and use Windows 8.1 Update 2/3 otherwise you cannot. They already pulled first step <Mod Edit> in that direction with Windows 8.1 Update 1. When you do fresh install there is no way to install unless you use outlook account as your windows account unless type in some fake email and try it until setup gives up and gives you that option for local account. Not so obvious to average Joe yet forcing people to use cloud bullshit.

    With One Drive in Windows 8.1 Update 1, you cannot use it unless you completely switch your local windows account to outlook account. No thanks! Not gonna use your One Drive...i have 8TB NAS which is always there for my image and other backups.

    Bullshit Step 2. Microsoft is forcing people to update Windows 8.1 to Windows 8.1 Update 1 otherwise they won't be getting support for Windows 8.1. Speaking of being arrogant...Hey Microsoft people dislike shit you did with Windows 8.1 Update 1, they dislike shit you did even with Windows 8.1 let alone Windows 8.0 which are not upgrading at all...probably switched to Windows 7 or they are not using the device they bought. It is funny that Windows 8.x market share is around 12% which is total flop after couple year and half of that is still on Windows 8.0.

    Moral of this story is for people to be aware of what MS is planning to do because as i said i have great feeling they are going to pull more <Mod Edit> on us like Windows 8.x wasn't enough.

    <Mod Note: That's three edits for language. Watch your language in the forums>
    Reply
  • segio526
    13581475 said:
    I found a use for both versions of the start menu and hope Microsoft allows both to be available at the same time. Either have the capability to show 2 start buttons or a single split button to open either version. Bring back the concept of widgets so we may place a calendar or weather widget on the desktop and they can be Windows 9 apps for security. This should bring back most of Windows 7 functionality sans Aero interface.

    I like your idea. Perhaps they can expand the functionality of right-clicking the Start Button that turns it into the old Start Menu and leaving the left-click what it is today!
    Reply
  • Ikepuska
    Yeah, but you can't do any serious computing on it. Linux is fine for dedicated tasks, servers, etc. but is severely crippling if you want to do any real work. It's just for playing around.

    That rather depends on a lot of things, including what you define as "Real Work"TM. The truth is that there are plenty of developers, engineers, and others that use Linux for "Real Work" including a huge number of scientists, that's because linux is well suited to certain tasks, just like windows has software that makes it suited to other tasks.

    But to try and claim that you can't do real work on a linux desktop is just silly, and parochial. Just because your work doesn't generally get done on linux (which doesn't mean it can't, I don't know since I don't know your workflow) doesn't mean others can't either.
    Reply
  • antilycus
    I gave WIn8 a try on my new laptop. I spent 3 hours updating to WIn 8.1 (typical time). I eventually was so out of my element on Win8 I went back to win7. Metro sucked, programs sucked. now I only use Windows for programs that require it, otherwise it's all linux. I've been in computers since dos 4.0 and never felt more out of place than with Windows 8. BeOS and OS/2 Warp felt more at home than Win 8
    Reply
  • jimmysmitty
    13581593 said:
    I believe Microsoft will take different direction with Windows 9 meaning it will be like Office 365, cloud based subscription <Mod Edit>.

    I have feeling that MS is about to alienate their user base even further, correct me if i am wrong. People are not afraid of change but they don't want to go to something which sucks in every sense and Windows 8.x sucks. I just hope Microsoft doesn't remove option to have local account but force people to use outlook account in order to install and use Windows 8.1 Update 2/3 otherwise you cannot. They already pulled first step bullshit in that direction with Windows 8.1 Update 1. When you do fresh install there is no way to install unless you use outlook account as your windows account unless type in some fake email and try it until setup gives up and gives you that option for local account. Not so obvious to average Joe yet forcing people to use cloud <Mod Edit>.

    With One Drive in Windows 8.1 Update 1, you cannot use it unless you completely switch your local windows account to outlook account. No thanks! Not gonna use your One Drive...i have 8TB NAS which is always there for my image and other backups.

    Bullshit Step 2. Microsoft is forcing people to update Windows 8.1 to Windows 8.1 Update 1 otherwise they won't be getting support for Windows 8.1. Speaking of being arrogant...Hey Microsoft people dislike shit you did with Windows 8.1 Update 1, they dislike shit you did even with Windows 8.1 let alone Windows 8.0 which are not upgrading at all...probably switched to Windows 7 or they are not using the device they bought. It is funny that Windows 8.x market share is around 12% which is total flop after couple year and half of that is still on Windows 8.0.

    Moral of this story is for people to be aware of what MS is planning to do because as i said i have great feeling they are going to pull more <Mod Edit> on us like Windows 8.x wasn't enough.

    Every time Microsoft released a major update they cut the previous versions off. When SP3 was released, SP2 or earlier versions of XP lost support.

    As for 8.1, people actually liked 8.1. It added more functionality for desktops and if they ad the classic start menu back in I think people will overall be happier with it as 8 is a more secure, stable and faster OS than 7 ever was.

    Of course people are blinded by the hate for Metro too much to see that Windows 8 as an OS is actually better than 7. Reminds me of the die hard Windows 98SE/2K fanboys who hated XP just as much.
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    Total non-story, everyone has been able to have a Start menu with ClassicShell since day 1 - next story please
    Reply