Windows 9 will be called "Windows Blue"? The first detailed assumptions about the successor to Windows 8

While the leading media started reporting about a decline in PC sales, lower sales of Windows 8 (than Windows 7 during its launch), and “virtually absent” sales of tablets on Windows 8, rumors about a new version started to be discussed at major Western forums Windows, presumably called "Windows Blue".

New report NPD Group reports weak sales of Windows 8 in the US

The Guardian article “Windows 8 doesn’t make customers happy in the USA” provides new information that for the first month after Windows 8 was launched, the decline in sales of desktop computers was 24%, and 9% for laptops. The corresponding report NPD Group came out a few days after a representative from ASUS said that "The demand for Windows 8 is not very big now . " The report also stated that the sales of tablets on Windows 8 are “practically absent”, accounting for less than 1% in all distribution channels monitored by the NPD Group. Windows 8 laptops with a touchscreen were more fortunate, their sales reached 6%. It is mentioned that in the same period of 2009, when Windows 7 was a month old, 83% of computers were sold from the new OS, while in the case of Windows 8 only 58%.

But that's not all. The most interesting fact in this article is a link to information among component manufacturers who say that Microsoft has cut the order of components for Surface RT by 50%.
')

Rumors: Windows Blue - the future of a cheap OS with an annual update cycle

Major Western publications have published interesting rumors that Microsoft is working quickly to replace Windows 8. We quote the most interesting assumptions of them:

ZDNet: Windows Next: Just call it 'Blue'?

• Microsoft is already working on a successor to Windows 8;
• There are already references to it as “Windows 9”, including recent ones from Microsoft Kitchen and Win8China (according to the WinUnleaked website);
• However, it is unlikely to be called that way;
• The new release will be called "Blue" - last week the Win8China website reported this - which could be an internal code name.

Phone Arena: Windows Blue to replace Windows 8 in just a few months? :

• It assumes that the new version can replace Windows 8 in just a few months, although it says that it’s hard to believe;
• Reports that Windows Blue will look similar to Windows 8 with minor interface changes;
• Probably, the name of Windows 8 will be saved, but everything else (including pricing policy) will be changed;
• He says that Microsoft wants Windows Blue to be on every computer, which means that it can even be given as a gift in order to ensure that users upgrade;
• It is assumed that from this point on the updates will be annual, for both desktop and mobile devices;
• Some sources report that the update will be released in mid-2013;
• There is no information whether you need to upgrade only with Windows 8.

The Verge: Microsoft's future blue low-cost OS with yearly updates

• Confirms that Microsoft wants Windows Blue to be the kind of OS everyone would install;
• Also says that the price will be low, and maybe completely free;
• After the release of Windows Blue, support for the new release will be added to the Windows SDK (and that Microsoft will no longer accept applications that were created specifically for Windows 8, in order to force developers to create applications for Blue);
• Applications for Windows 8 can run on Blue, despite changes in the SDK;
• To upgrade to Windows Blue, you need a licensed copy of Windows;
• The built-in applications and the Windows Store will stop working if the copy on which they are attempting to upgrade is pirated;
• The annual update cycle will be implemented in order to increase the competitiveness of Windows compared to rival platforms from Apple and Google.

On the return of the button and the Start menu, as well as the possibility of disabling Metro does not report any of the publications.

What do you think?