Update: Windows 9 is now known as Windows 10. Want to know more about when you can get your hands on it? Check out our in-depth Windows 10 release date page
Microsoft may have an even more accelerated release schedule in mind for Windows 9 as new rumors suggest it could launch as a fully built operating system in the coming months.
The infamous leaker, WZOR, posted new information to Russian bulletin boards suggesting Microsoft plans to launch Windows 9 before summer is backed by a substantial advertising campaign. Until now we've heard that the Preview build would drop in the second half of 2014.
Free no more
Other than quickly suggesting a sooner than expected release and passingly describing the Windows 9 marketing campaign as "fantastic", WZOR spends much more of his forum post explaining the OS' activation system.
Supposedly the next version of Windows will register automatically once users connect to the Windows 9 Store. Users will also supposedly be able to take the key and save it in a special "ESD-RETAIL" format on a flash drive.
Potentially this would allow users to migrate their copy of Windows 9 to another PC. However, users who attempt to run multiple copies on separate machines will be asked to "undock" it within three days.
While this all sounds mighty similar to Windows 8, it's news that suggests Windows 9 won't be the first free Microsoft OS many users are hoping for or exactly what Wzor originally reported on June 25.
'Crazy rumor day'
So far Microsoft hasn't commented officially on the rumor, but Microsoft Communications Chief Frank Shaw tweeted out "Was there a 'crazy rumor day' declaration that I missed?"
Although Shaw did not call out Wzor's report specifically, it's very likely the Microsoft chief meant to dismiss the rumors of a Windows 9 release happening very soon.
With that in mind we're going to look at this latest rumor with some extreme skepticism, but it all seems very likely we will see Windows 9 in some form in just a few short months. Until then, stay tuned to this space for more news.
- Is the new OS any good? Read our hands on Windows 10 review to find out
