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Microsoft has accidentally confirmed that Windows 9, the latest version of its desktop operating system, is on its way ahead of an official announcement.
So far, Microsoft has refrained from talking about Windows 9, also known as Windows Threshold, but a recent post from Microsoft China asked the following question on Chinese social network Weibo: "Microsoft’s latest OS Windows 9 is coming soon, do you think the start menu at the left bottom will make a come back?"
The post also included a Windows 9 logo (above), but has since been taken down. Fortunately, it was spotted by Cnbeta before it disappeared.
Microsoft is expected to officially announce Windows 9 at a press conference on 30th September. This should also be the time when developers and enterprise users get their first look at the new OS in the Technology Preview version of the system. This event was already rumoured to take place in either late September or early October, so it's possible that the two events will be combined.
Windows 9 should see the return of the Start Menu as well as the disposal of the convoluted Charms bar which appeared on the right hand side of the screen. It's also expected that Live Tiles will be incorporated into the Start Menu and that Microsoft's personal digital assistant Cortana will be built into the desktop.
The worldwide launch of Windows 9 is currently unknown, but current estimates suggest April 2015 as the proposed release window. For all the latest news on Windows 9, read our Windows 9 rumours article.
