Windows Threshold aka Window 9 Expected To Have Virtual Desktops

It is now expected that the future version of Windows code named Threshold and likely to be Windows 9 will feature virtual desktops for the first time.

The Start menu is expected to return in a mini-menu approach, as well as a change to the way that apps are treated within the Windows environment.

The launch of the new Windows release is posited as early as spring 2015 but as ever Microsoft is keeping quiet about release dates and specifics around changes to the latest iteration of Windows.

Virtual Desktops

Virtual desktops is not something new. Apple's OS X and Linux-based Ubuntu operating systems both offer numerous desktop screens with the ability for users to layout each screen as they wish to, even changing the desktop wallpaper for different virtual screens, and open apps separately in a virtual environment.

A virtual desktop feature built into Windows would be a considerable step forward for power users who want something more sophisticated when it comes to managing their own work and personal computing environment within the Window space.

(an example of how virtual desktop could look)

Charms Bar No Longer Charming Users

The Charms Bar which showed its face in Windows 8 is essentially a toolbar with quick access options to get to the Start screen, Windows settings and hardware devices. Whilst it's attractive, some users find it gets in the way rather than being useful while power users prefer alternative third party application launchers.

It is currently believed that the Charms Bar will be significantly changed, made as a selectable feature or removed altogether from Windows Threshold. There could be some differences to how the Charms Bar is used when the newer version of Windows will be used on a tablet, desktop or laptop computing device.

With the Charms Bar removed, it will be necessary for Windows app developers to add a direct sharing option within their own apps rather than rely on the sharing feature that is present in the Windows 8/8.1 version of the Charms Bar. Agreements between apps, known as contracts, will likely still exist to indicate how one app can coexist and work with another app within the Windows environment.

The hope internally with the Windows engineering team is suspected to be that they want to create a new version of Windows that is not seen as dependent on touch computing to be used effectively. This could make a new version of Windows more acceptable to current users of Windows XP, Vista or 7 who have so far chosen not to upgrade to Windows 8.1 with the tile-based, touch interface and missing Start menu system.