Windows 9 could remove Metro interface on desktop PCs


Windows 9 may remove the Metro interface for desktop PC users when it is eventually released.


The latest report suggests that Microsoft may split the more traditional desktop interface and the Windows 8 Metro UI.


What interface you will see will totally depend on the device you are running Windows on.


Tablets will only get the Metro UI, while those using laptops and desktops will be restricted to the standard desktop UI, which is far more keyboard and mouse friendly.


The Metro UI was always designed to be a touch-focused experience, so it would make more sense for tablet users to only be exposed to that, rather than having to mess around with the traditional desktop.


As for touchscreen laptops, it looks like there will be an option to use the Metro Start Screen instead of the revamped Start Menu. It would make sense to keep the current structure for those hybrid devices, as Windows 8.1 in particular comes alive with a combination touch screen/keyboard and mouse device.


Another key piece of information about Windows 9 is a potential “one-click upgrade” feature, letting you move from one build to the next with more ease.


The update is performed by opening up Windows Update and then clicking a single button to upgrade your Windows build. This could be a huge improvement over previous iterations of Windows, which can be notoriously tricky to update.


It is a feature already built into recent builds of Windows 9, which are currently labelled as Technical Previews.


However, what isn’t clear is how it will affect the upgrade process from the current Windows 8.1 to the new Windows 9. The one-click upgrade may well just be for iterations after the initial Windows 9 installation.


It is a sign that Microsoft is inching towards a more rapid-release cycle for its Windows operating system, in a bid to have a business model more like that of Apple and Google.


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Via: Extremetech