Windows 11 has been available in wide release for just a few months, but reports suggest Microsoft is already planning to start developing Windows 12. According to German site Deskmodder.de, Microsoft will begin building the next generation of Windows in March 2022.
Tom's Hardware picked up the story and saw it was also backed by Swift On Security in a tweet that said “according to a source at Microsoft, Windows 12 is already under development and it's going to require two TMPs.”
Of course, that was very much a joke and confirmed as such by Swift On Security. Even so, there is now a source that says Windows 12 is soon to hit development. While there is nothing official from Microsoft, nor will there be for a long time, it makes sense that the company is already moving ahead.
I have deleted this tweet, which was supposed to be a joke. I apologize for the confusion. pic.twitter.com/0z2MZN22JM
— SwiftOnSecurity (@SwiftOnSecurity) February 20, 2022
Platform as a Service
I am also interested in what it means for the dynamics of Windows as a platform. You may remember when Microsoft launched Windows 10, the company talked about a platform as a service (PaaS). Essentially, the company was looking at an evolving platform built on regular updates, the monthly patch cycle and twice yearly feature upgrades that defined Windows 10.
In fact, Microsoft was talking about Windows 10 as the last ever Windows. We know that didn't happen. Sure, Windows 11 could have been labelled Windows 10 but Microsoft realized there is nothing for a marketing boost quite like a new brand.
So, Windows 11 was born and now it seems the company is moving ahead with returning to generational build names. For what it's worth, Windows is still very much as a PaaS, but under slightly different terms. Windows 11 is a different platform to Windows 10 but is still serviced with regular updates.
Looking ahead to Windows 12, Microsoft is unlikely to launch any new Windows version until at least 2026.
Tip of the day: Whether you're planning an upgrade, tuning CPU timings, or just curious, it's handy to know information about your RAM. In our tutorial, we show you how to check RAM speed, type, and size using several built-in Windows tools.
