The release date of Windows 12 may have recently been leaked, and it may be available on desktops in the coming months. Microsoft's rumoured successor to Windows 11 is projected to be the next significant revamp following the release of Windows 11 in October 2021, including cosmetic improvements to aspects such as the taskbar, Windows Explorer, and widget support. It's worth mentioning that Microsoft has yet to formally divulge any specifics about its upcoming Windows desktop operating system.
Windows 12 release date
According to a recent fireside discussion transcript at the Citi 2023 Global Technology Conference, Intel CFO David Zinsner may have revealed the Windows 12 release date. "We think '24 is going to be a pretty good year for a client, in particular, because of the Windows refresh," Zinsner is quoted as stating in the transcript. Microsoft regularly releases updates and patches for its operating system, so a Windows refresh indicates that a new version is coming.
"And we continue to believe that the installed base is quite old and does require a refresh, which we believe will begin next year, given the Windows catalyst." So, we're optimistic about how things will play out starting in '24," Zinsner adds in response to a query on whether Intel expects its recent market share gains to continue.
Intel may have new desktop CPUs ready in time for the next edition of Windows
It's worth noting that the Intel executive's reference to Windows "refresh" and "catalyst" comes only days after the company announced its Intel Core Ultra processors, which will be available on 14 December. Intel's Meteor Lake chips will be geared at laptops, unlike their Raptor Lake predecessors. However, with the planned release of Intel's Arrow Lake-S CPUs (with up to 24 cores) in 2024, Intel may have new desktop CPUs ready in time for the next edition of Windows.
Intel's new Meteor Lake processors are the company's first to include a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for increased on-device AI capabilities. The first integrated NPU AI engine is also included in the new chiplet architecture. Meanwhile, the Windows 11 23H2 update includes new AI capabilities such as Windows Copilot. Microsoft is expected to double down on the AI features and technologies it is developing if the next version of Windows is to be released in the coming months.