Microsoft... announces Windows 8 release date as October 26!

Tech giant Microsoft Inc has finally announced the release date of it’s eagerly awaited operating system – Windows 8 in the annual sales meeting, as Friday, October 26.

Months of speculation have been put to rest after the announcement at the Microsoft’s annual sales meeting and the company has kept it’s promise on an October release for the operating system expected to take on Apple’s iOS 6. Windows 8 is expected to be simultaneously released for the desktop and the mobile platform.

The Windows operating system was conceived in 1985 and the latest version is expected to be a complete overhaul of the company’s flagship product that has been running on millions of computers across the world for more than two decades. The UI will be similar to the one found on the Windows Phone 7 devices and the traditional desktop has been ditched. ‘One OS for all’ is the new mantra for Microsoft beginning with the Windows 8.

Samsung and HTC have already extended their support for Windows 8 and have decided to launch the Windows Phone 8, the next iteration of Windows Phone. Nokia and Huawei have also extended their support to the Redmond giant. The mobile and desktop versions will share the same code base and will provide analogous experience across desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

A bold approach by Microsoft to use one-for-all operating system will surely make consumers take notice and might give the giant a headstart over Apple, which has always stuck to one operating system for one platform style.

The Windows 8 OS will be downloadable for just £25 for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 users and will last only till January 31, 2013. It will also offer Windows 8 Pro and new devices with Windows 8 pre-installed are also expected during the October 26 release.

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