Windows 8 Review
Microsoft is giving Windows its most radical overhaul since 1995 and even its most devoted users won't recognize the venerable computer operating system in this new incarnation, called Windows 8, when it appears Oct. 26. — [ See post to watch video ]
Context & Ripple Effects
Microsoft had framed Windows 8 as a break from the past as early as 2010, followed by a 2011 preview of the new platform and coverage calling it Microsoft's most vital launch in years. By May 2012, concern over the redesign had become a visible part of the rollout discussion.
The October 26 launch also ties the operating system to Microsoft's first Surface tablet and to Xbox Music, which Microsoft has announced for Xbox, Windows 8 and Windows Phone. The review therefore matters as an early assessment of the interface anchoring a broader product push.
First-order effects
- Microsoft must manage a sharp transition for established Windows users when Windows 8 ships on October 26, because the redesigned interface changes how they encounter the PC operating system.
- Surface launches alongside Windows 8, making reception of the new software an immediate test of Microsoft's first-party tablet effort as well as its operating-system redesign.
Second-order effects
- Xbox Music gains a Windows 8 distribution point alongside Xbox and Windows Phone, strengthening Microsoft's attempt to compete with Spotify and Rdio through a connected device lineup.
- Microsoft's Surface marketing and Windows 8 campaign place the company in a more direct position against tablet vendors, where the hardware and operating-system experience are sold as one proposition.
Third-order effects
- If the Windows 8, Surface and Xbox Music launches reinforce one another, Microsoft is moving beyond the standalone-PC-software model toward an integrated hardware, operating-system and entertainment-services strategy.
The trend: Windows 8 is a key test of Microsoft's effort to make a single software platform the distribution layer for its devices and media services.