Event

On 1 June 2011, at the D9 Conference, Microsoft demonstrated the next generation of Windows, code-named Windows 8, focusing primarily on the graphical user interface. Aspects of Windows 8 include:

• A tile-based start screen, with a full-screen view of applications
• The ability to snap and resize tiles
• Web-connected and Web-powered applications based on HTML5 and JavaScript
• Touch-optimized browsing

Microsoft's video demonstration of Windows 8 is available at http://media.ch9.ms/ch9/cda16b03-c463-47e7-b604-9ef5011c5b25/Demo.mp4 and http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/windows7/videogallery.aspx?contentID=win8_preview1 . Microsoft said it would offer more details on Windows 8 at its Build Conference in September 2011.

Analysis

Windows 8 appears to be an ambitious project which Microsoft is calling a "reimagining" of Windows. The company is under pressure to produce an operating system (OS) that can be used on various form factors, as the popularity of Apple's iPad, other tablets and handheld devices such as smartphones has called into question the relevance of the PC and Windows.

Microsoft’s announcement generated more questions than answers, but the demonstration did make clear that Windows 8 will have a radically new user interface (UI) that closely resembles the UI on Windows Phone 7. The new UI is designed to be "touch first," but to work equally well with a mouse and keyboard. The UI and HTML5 and JavaScript "tailored applications" are designed to be part of the future application model for Windows. Gartner expects that Microsoft will describe this model, reportedly code-named Jupiter, at the Build Conference. We believe Jupiter will allow for native HTML5/JavaScript Web and Silverlight XAML applications.

Windows 8 has been designed to run on ARM processors as well as on Windows 7-class PCs. Microsoft has not said whether Windows 8 will replace the Windows Phone OS. Gartner believes that tailored applications would run on all devices, but legacy Windows applications and device drivers would only run on certain devices. Legacy Windows applications would need to be recompiled to run on ARM, and even then, the requirements of some applications could mean that they will be inappropriate to run on lower-end hardware. Different devices will have different user experiences based on the power of the processor, the size of the screen and perhaps on the input device. Microsoft is hoping Moore's Law will mean that capabilities of low-powered devices will improve as product availability approaches.

Gartner does not expect Windows 8 to ship before 2H12, about three years after Windows 7; shipment could easily occur later if Microsoft's effort is very complex. We expect Microsoft to closely control and limit initial shipment on ARM devices. While the company will position Windows 8 as an OS for consumers and businesses, Gartner believes that many organizations will evaluate Windows 8 tablets and other alternative form factors, but will standardize PCs around Windows 7 and skip Windows 8.

The deployment of any new major OS release requires 12 to 18 months for independent software vendors (ISVs) to support and organizations to plan, test and pilot beforehand. Even if Windows 8 ships by mid-2012, most organizations could not deploy it until early 2014. With Windows XP support slated to end in April 2014, and ISVs and OEMs ending support for it sooner, organizations cannot rely on Windows 8 to succeed Windows XP in their environments.

All organizations:

• Press Microsoft for more clarity on Windows 8 features and its plans for the OS to help determine your strategy.
• Expect that, eventually, a later release of Windows Phones will run an OS derived on Windows 8.

IT operations staff:

• Continue with plans to replace Windows XP with Windows 7 by April 2014, and sooner to avoid issues with ISV applications. Do not try to skip Windows 7 and wait for Windows 8.
• Evaluate Windows 8 for alternative devices and be prepared to support it for tablets and consumer devices users bring into the organization.

Developers:

• If you're developing applications for Windows Phone 7 but expect they will live into the Windows 8 time frame, choose tools that will enable future portability to Windows 8 without major redevelopment. Silverlight, the future native environment for Windows Phone and Windows 8, offers a safe path for Windows family deployment. For applications deployed on other mobile platforms, consider HTML5 or some of the MCAP tools that can target multiple platforms. Microsoft has not yet made enough information available on Windows 8 for us to determine whether the ARM and x86 versions might differ significantly, for example.
• Strengthen your skills in user experience design and architect applications to support multiple user experiences or prepare for a transition.

Some documents may not be available as part of your current Gartner subscription.

• "Creating a Timeline for Deploying Windows 7 and Eliminating Windows XP" — With Windows XP getting older and no official release date for Windows 8, organizations should be planning their migrations to Windows 7 now; if they have not yet done so, they should now officially consider themselves to be late. By Michael Silver
• "The Benefits Side of a Windows 7 Business Case" — Although many organizations view Windows 7 deployment as a necessity, they should still build a business case to ensure the project's funding and success. By Michael Silver and Steven Kleynhans