Windows 8.1 Update 3 Could Still Be Possible

By Kevin Parrish
published

A new report from PCBeta (via Softpedia) claims that Microsoft may actually release Windows 8.1 Update 3 in the first quarter of 2015 if it doesn’t look as if Microsoft will release Windows 9 by April 2015. We’ve already heard that the upcoming next-generation OS may not launch until Q2 2015. However, the report indicates that getting Windows 9 Threshold out to customers is a very high priority for Microsoft.

According to the report, Update 3 won’t bring anything major to the Windows 8.1 table save for preparing computers for Windows Threshold, which will supposedly feature a new activation system. Then again, there’s speculation that Update 3 will make some critical changes to Windows 8.1 devices that will make the transition to Windows Threshold a bit easier.  

As reported last month, Windows 8.1 Update 2 could hit Windows Store sometime next month. This will be free to all Windows 8.1 Update 1 customers, and possibly free to Windows 8.1 customers who chose not to install Update 1. Haven’t even updated to Windows 8.1? Microsoft has a great tutorial for upgrading right here.

Let's review: Windows 8.1 Update 2 arriving next month; Windows 9 public beta in Q4 2014; Windows 9 full release in Q2 2015. Microsoft is expected to dump tons of money into the Windows 9 marketing campaign, indicating that Microsoft is feeling pretty confident that it doesn't have another Windows Vista/Windows 8 on its hands.

What's quite possible is that Microsoft may still release Windows 8.1 Update 3 for customers who do not install the Windows 9 public preview. The point of the beta is to get feedback from users and implement changes before final release. These changes to the core product could be dumped into a huge "patch" for Windows 9 and the Update 3 for Windows 8.1.

Be mindful that there’s a lot of speculation here.

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Kevin Parrish
14 Comments Comment from the forums
  • ultameca
    I wish Microsoft would stand their ground and have no start button in windows 9, Most people who are criticizing windows 8 are miss informed and refuse to try it out, even just for a while, they hate change.

    I was one of those users who decided I would give it a spin for a little while and ended up realizing how much better the metro interface is. I added my programs to it, ordered them the way I wanted and installed some metro apps, now my desktop is uncluttered and I don't have to fumble around with an alphabetical list of software any more.

    Windows 8.1 is by far the best windows OS I have ever used and I'm a mouse/keyboard power user and have been since windows 3.11.
    Reply
  • Artem Shaban
    I wish Microsoft would stand their ground and have no start button in windows 9, Most people who are criticizing windows 8 are miss informed and refuse to try it out, even just for a while, they hate change.

    I was one of those users who decided I would give it a spin for a little while and ended up realizing how much better the metro interface is. I added my programs to it, ordered them the way I wanted and installed some metro apps, now my desktop is uncluttered and I don't have to fumble around with an alphabetical list of software any more.

    Windows 8.1 is by far the best windows OS I have ever used and I'm a mouse/keyboard power user and have been since windows 3.11.
    I agree, but Microsoft needed to be keep classic and new start for select. And why search looking only on 1 language when i have 2.
    Reply
  • Darkk
    I wish Microsoft would stand their ground and have no start button in windows 9, Most people who are criticizing windows 8 are miss informed and refuse to try it out, even just for a while, they hate change.

    I was one of those users who decided I would give it a spin for a little while and ended up realizing how much better the metro interface is. I added my programs to it, ordered them the way I wanted and installed some metro apps, now my desktop is uncluttered and I don't have to fumble around with an alphabetical list of software any more.

    Windows 8.1 is by far the best windows OS I have ever used and I'm a mouse/keyboard power user and have been since windows 3.11.

    Problem is MOST customers hate it. Works fine for touchscreens but not so for desktops which is why Microsoft is fixing it. Microsoft can only push so much before folks start to look for alternatives like Linux or Macs.
    Reply
  • Cy-Kill
    Shouldn't that actually read like this:

    '...indicating that Microsoft is feeling pretty confident that it doesn't have another Windows Millennium Edition/Windows Vista/Windows 8 on its hands...'
    Reply
  • Truckinupga
    I have installed third party start menu programs for other people such as start 8. But as for myself and others I know, we are very happy with 8.1's start screen. I just don't know what the big deal is, 8.1 is so much more user friendly than other OS's and the start screen gives you so much more than a start button/menu. But even for those that don't upgrade to 8.1 because of the start screen, well their are plenty of options (Many Free) that will remedy that.
    Reply
  • Montego
    @Ultameca
    Like you, I decided to give Windows 8 (actually 8.1) a try even though I was sure that Windows XP, and then Windows 7, were the greatest OS's ever invented for the average desktop user. After learning my way around Windows 8.1 I have to agree that now that I'm use to it, it is a better OS. I do wish Microsoft would stop coming out with new operating systems when they already have those that do work well. Instead, I would much rather see them focus on better security for their OS's so they don't constantly have to 'patch' them.
    Reply
  • epobirs
    I'm writing this on a Win 8.1 system and I'm completely comfortable with it. But, and a big but, I was using Windows 7 in a way that most consumers never caught on to,despite the advantages. How many PC users have never learned to use the Windows Key on their keyboard that has been around since Windows 95? As far as I can tell it is the great majority of users out there. Those little details play a vital role in not finding the removal of the Start menu a crippling change.

    In a better world the average human would be more open to learning simple new things and stuff like software could progress more rapidly. But that isn't the species we are and ignoring the feedback is what made Win8 a disaster for Microsoft. A vast number of people tried to tell them this was going to be a problem and were ignored because the subset they cared to listen to are more adaptable than the typical human.

    If they'd accepted this from the start so much difficulty could have been avoided. If the first release of Windows could be easily configured to be desktop oriented without using any third party additions, there would have been little complaint over the Metro additions for touch users.
    Reply
  • rohitbaran
    I wish Microsoft would stand their ground and have no start button in windows 9, Most people who are criticizing windows 8 are miss informed and refuse to try it out, even just for a while, they hate change.

    I was one of those users who decided I would give it a spin for a little while and ended up realizing how much better the metro interface is. I added my programs to it, ordered them the way I wanted and installed some metro apps, now my desktop is uncluttered and I don't have to fumble around with an alphabetical list of software any more.

    Windows 8.1 is by far the best windows OS I have ever used and I'm a mouse/keyboard power user and have been since windows 3.11.
    Why do you think corporate users haven't upgraded to Windows 8 yet? It is NOT that much user friendly to someone who has been working while using the XP and Windows 7 start menu for a long time. Windows 8 is not even that popular as MS makes it to be. Most of the licenses are the OEMs which are forced down the buyer's throat when they buy a branded laptop/desktop. If you want to buy Windows 7, you are forced to buy Windows 8 and then downgrade. Windows 8 is probably even lagging Windows XP, or if leading, then not by much in OS market share. It is a useless upgrade more or less over Windows 7. I am further surprised how quickly they are trying to push out Windows 9. It seems like they will eventually have an annual release cycle and then will force the customers with upgrading every year by shady tactics such as ending support after every year (windows 7 support period is shorter than that of windows XP, 6 years compared to 8 years).
    Reply
  • thundervore
    I wish Microsoft would stand their ground and have no start button in windows 9, Most people who are criticizing windows 8 are miss informed and refuse to try it out, even just for a while, they hate change.

    I was one of those users who decided I would give it a spin for a little while and ended up realizing how much better the metro interface is. I added my programs to it, ordered them the way I wanted and installed some metro apps, now my desktop is uncluttered and I don't have to fumble around with an alphabetical list of software any more.

    Windows 8.1 is by far the best windows OS I have ever used and I'm a mouse/keyboard power user and have been since windows 3.11.


    Try looking at it from an enterprise standpoint. Microsoft makes more money from Enterprise licenses than individual licenses. If you have a company of 3000 users currently using Windows XP and decide to migrate their workstations to Windows 7, the learning curve is minimal for the basic things that end users need to do. Now if you move them to Windows 8, it involves a lot more training to get those same users up to speed how to do the same things. Microsoft is trying to fix this because Enterprise companies are not using Windows 8 licenses and even if they buy the machine and it comes with Windows 8 pre installed they will wipe it and install the OS they currently have licenses for and it will most likely be Windows 7. I have seen the same thing happen when Vista came out, companies were buying Vista machines and installing XP on them.

    For the average user, they can spend the time and learn the new features and tinker about to figure things out but when time is money you need to provide the end user with something they can use with minimal training effort. There are still people today that think when you unpin an application in Windows 7 from the taskbar that it actually uninstalls it. Do you think companies will spend the money and resources explaining to users that Metro apps are different than Desktop apps, how to reposition apps that were docked on the screen, how to view your currently installed printers, etc.
    Reply
  • invisibilian
    I wish Microsoft would stand their ground and have no start button in windows 9, Most people who are criticizing windows 8 are miss informed and refuse to try it out, even just for a while, they hate change.

    I was one of those users who decided I would give it a spin for a little while and ended up realizing how much better the metro interface is. I added my programs to it, ordered them the way I wanted and installed some metro apps, now my desktop is uncluttered and I don't have to fumble around with an alphabetical list of software any more.

    Windows 8.1 is by far the best windows OS I have ever used and I'm a mouse/keyboard power user and have been since windows 3.11.
    Why do you think corporate users haven't upgraded to Windows 8 yet? It is NOT that much user friendly to someone who has been working while using the XP and Windows 7 start menu for a long time. Windows 8 is not even that popular as MS makes it to be. Most of the licenses are the OEMs which are forced down the buyer's throat when they buy a branded laptop/desktop. If you want to buy Windows 7, you are forced to buy Windows 8 and then downgrade. Windows 8 is probably even lagging Windows XP, or if leading, then not by much in OS market share. It is a useless upgrade more or less over Windows 7. I am further surprised how quickly they are trying to push out Windows 9. It seems like they will eventually have an annual release cycle and then will force the customers with upgrading every year by shady tactics such as ending support after every year (windows 7 support period is shorter than that of windows XP, 6 years compared to 8 years).

    and I will for one be repeal the "stand your ground law". lol
    Reply