The next big Windows update isn't called Windows 12, but Microsoft would benefit if it was. Here's why.
KEY TAKEAWAYS ■ Windows 11 version 24H2 is a significant update based on the new Germanium platform, indicating big changes and improvements.
■ The update will strongly focus on AI, with features like an advanced copilot and AI-powered voice clarity and super-resolution.
■ The decision to stick with the Windows 11 branding misses an opportunity for Microsoft to reinvigorate
interest in the PC space and compete with Apple's recent success in the market.
Soon after the release of Windows 11, reports started floating around that Microsoft intended to go back to a three-year cycle for its major operating system releases. This led many, including myself, to the belief that the true follow-up to Windows 11 would be Windows 12 at some point this year.
Everything seemed to point in that direction, too, with a new underlying platform release — codenamed Germanium — in the works, which would be the foundation for this new version of Windows. However, in a recent blog post, Microsoft confirmed that the next big Windows update will be Windows 11 version 24H2, following the same naming scheme as the feature updates released in 2022 and 2023. To me, this is a big missed opportunity for Microsoft to reinvigorate interest in the PC space, and particularly in Windows.
Windows 11 version 24H2 will be a big updateWindows 12 could be positioned as the operating system for AI
First off, Windows 11 version 24H2 is a more significant update than the feature updates Windows 11 has received in the past. And nothing makes that more plain than the fact that it's based on the aforementioned Germanium platform release. The only other time we've had a major platform release like this in recent years was when Windows 11 itself came out in 2021. All the Windows 11 updates since then were based on that same underlying platform, just like how many of the Windows 10 versions beforehand were based on the same platform. A new Windows platform means big changes, and having that represented with clear branding would bring people's attention to it.
And we're expecting a lot of features with this release, too. This will be a very AI-heavy update for Windows, with reports suggesting an "advanced copilot" that can help in all kinds of different scenarios while you use your PC. It won't be just the Microsoft Copilot sidebar we're used to. Plus, new AI-powered features like voice clarity are already in testing, with even more impressive technology like automatic super resolution (a native version of DLSS) also in the works. Windows 12 could be positioned as the premier desktop operating system for AI (it could even have been called Windows AI, honestly), but instead, it's just another update for Windows 11.
In 2021, Microsoft was smart to capitalize on the shift to remote work to release Windows 11 and make new PCs feel exciting again. Granted, everyone was buying new computers at this time anyway, but that made it a great time to bring the focus back to Windows and help drive those sales and excitement even further. 2021 was the best year for PC sales compared to the previous decade, and while Windows 11 wasn't the primary motivator, having that release at that time made all the sense in the world. Leveraging the AI boom in the same way for a Windows update could have greatly benefitted Microsoft here, too.
Hardware partners have been waiting for thisThere's a lot of hype surrounding the next Windows update
One of the many things that has previously pointed us towards the next version of Windows being Windows 12 is the fact that partners like Qualcomm have been seen referring to "the next version of Windows" as a major step forward. Support for 32-bit Arm apps will finally be dropped, and in fact, Arm is a huge focus for this update. Many under-the-hood improvements have been made to make Windows better on Arm-based devices, and all this is aligned with the impending launch of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset. In fact, Qualcomm has pretty much confirmed that PCs with this chip will be released in the summer with the next version of Windows.
A lot is riding on this release. The idea of a full version of Windows on Arm has been around since 2017, but with lackluster hardware and software support, it never took off, and it gave Apple plenty of room to make Microsoft's efforts seem almost embarrassing. This amazing new hardware and the software improvements necessary should allow Microsoft and its hardware partners to fight back take the spotlight and make the Windows ecosystem exciting again. Every major PC manufacturer has gotten behind Microsoft and Qualcomm with plans to release PCs with the Snapdragon X Elite, which is unprecedented.
Yet the company is taking that momentum away from this release by minimizing its perceived impact. All these new PCs will just be running Windows 11, the same operating system we've had for three years. Sure, you and I may know how big of a deal it is, but will everyone else? That's unlikely.
Is platform consolidation really that important?Why does it matter what version of Windows you're using?
One argument I've seen used to justify the decision to forgo the Windows 12 name is that Microsoft wants to cut back on fragmentation within the Windows platform, which is something the company tried to do with Windows 10 with a fair amount of success. The idea of consolidating a platform so that features and support can be offered to everyone equally makes sense, but in reality, how much does it matter for Windows?
After all, whether this update was called Windows 12 or not, it would have been the same update. The same potential issues would arise, and the same features would be part of it. And when these different versions share so much in common anyway, what's there to lose by having these platforms have a different name? A lot of things that initially made Windows 11 great eventually made their way to Windows 10 anyway, because many of them are apps. Support for GUI apps in Linux was initially something only Windows 11 could do. The new Microsoft Store was also just for Windows 11, until it wasn't. If there's even room to debate whether this update should be called Windows 11 or Windows 12, that just reinforces the idea that you can do most of the same things on this version as you can on previous ones. It's not like Microsoft would be supporting a totally different platform in anything but name.
Sure, Microsoft has its lifecycle policies, and changing the version to Windows 12 would mean a new entry to add to the support page with a new support period, and the company would be forced to keep supporting the last version of Windows 11 until around 10 years after its initial launch. But what's to stop the company from pushing the Windows 12 update onto everyone on Windows 11? That's what will happen by labeling this release as part of Windows 11 anyway, and it's not like Microsoft was shy about upgrading Windows 7 and 8.1 users to Windows 10 back then. If anything, that process could go a lot more smoothly today. While the implications of a new version of Windows are not negligible, I think there's a lot more to gain than there is to lose with this change.
Can Windows take the spotlight again?The Windows 12 name would have helped significantly in bringing public attention and excitement to the Windows ecosystem. For the past 3 and a half years, Apple has been the talk of the town when it comes to PCs thanks to Apple Silicon, and regardless of how you feel about macOS, those Arm-based processors have changed the game for computing. Apple firmly established the Mac as the best way to get work done on the go thanks to the incredible balance of battery life and performance you can't get from any competitor.
Without the proper branding, Microsoft and its partners have a harder battle to fight if they want to draw attention away from Apple. I wouldn't say hope is lost, but Microsoft will have to communicate very clearly to show that Windows is still an exciting platform that can do everything Macs can but with a much better software experience. It just won't hit the same way.
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