The latest information on the upcoming Windows Blue operating system is that the upcoming software will simply update Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 by adding a number of new features, essentially acting as a Service Pack to the latest Microsoft Windows operating system.
The source is a leaked screenshot of a system running Windows Blue that clearly shows an updated version of Windows 8 Pro that shows as Windows 8.1 Pro. Despite the name change Microsoft is expected to keep on selling the updated OS as Windows 8.
Windows Blue is expected to come out this summer with a number of changes and improvements including Internet Explorer 11, improved modern UI PC settings, enhanced SkyDrive, new tile sizes, new split-screen application options, new gestures, more personalization options and new applications. Furthermore the OS update will close the gap between Windows 8 and the mobile Windows Phone 8 operating system by tying services between the two. This is the reason why a Windows Phone 8 “Blue” update is expected later this year.
The upcoming Windows Blue may also signal the end of the free Service Packs for Windows provided by Microsoft. As expected the update will be cheap but will not be free – just like Apple sells the updates to its Mac OS X operating system.
Source: Hot Hardware