Qualcomm recently said that the "next version" of Windows is expected to be released later this year, prompting speculation about whether it was a reference to Windows 12.
As first reported by PC Mag Australia, Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm, discussed the release schedule for the company's ARM-based Snapdragon X Elite during a recent earnings call.
Amon highlighted that the product's release would be tied to the "next version" of Microsoft's Windows service, which is set to be heavily embedded with AI capabilities:
We're tracking to the launch of products with this chipset tied with the next version of Microsoft Windows that has a lot of the Windows AI capabilities. We're still maintaining the same date, which is driven by Windows, which is mid-2024, getting ready for back-to-school."
Naturally, this is miles away from an official confirmation that Windows 12's release is on track for the middle of this year. Still, Amon's word choice for "next version of Windows" instead of "Update" or similar has caused an inevitable stir.
While it is well-known that Microsoft is currently working on Windows 12, no concrete release timeframes have been provided. Industry experts have suggested that Microsoft only intends to release a Windows 11 24H2 update in 2024 and to keep Windows 12 until 2025.
However, Amon's comments aren't the first suggestion that Windows 12 might arrive sooner than expected. Late in 2023, Intel Chief Financial Officer Dave Zinsner said, "We actually think '24 is going to be a pretty good year for client, in particular, because of the Windows refresh."
Furthermore, a December statement from Taiwan’s Commercial Times said PC manufacturers anticipate that Windows 12 will launch in June of this year.
However, while there is knowledge of initial internal builds of Windows 12 within Microsoft, a release so soon seems implausible, given the complexity of issues such as testing and bug-fixing. It would make more sense that the mid-year version that Amon alludes to will be the AI-focused Windows 11 24H2 upgrade.
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