Microsoft to unveil new Windows on Tuesday, but will it have a new name?

Microsoft will unveil a new name for its best-known product on Tuesday when it offers the first official glimpse of its latest Windows operating system. The project, known for the past few years as “Threshold” inside the software company and “Windows 9” outside it, will likely get an entirely new brand or just be called Windows, analysts said, ahead of its full release early next year. The name change is symbolic of a new direction and style for Microsoft, which is veering away from an aggressive focus on Windows and PCs.

Windows 8 was not a shining moment for Microsoft. Probably the biggest issue that lingers is the negative brand equity in the name.

Michael Silver, analyst at tech research firm Gartner

The new, quieter emphasis is on selling services across all devices and is championed by new boss Satya Nadella. The switch also represents a desire to erase the ill will generated by Windows 8, an ambitious attempt to redesign Windows with tablet users in mind, which ended up annoying and confusing the core market of customers who use mice and keyboards. Many users howled in protest over the death of the start-button menu and the introduction of a colourful grid of squares or tiles representing apps.

The schizophrenic behaviour between the modern user interface and the Windows desktop has got to go away. They have to smooth that out.

David Johnson, an analyst at tech research firm Forrester