THE CRUNCH
Anyone waiting for Windows 12 may have a while to go. Reporting by The Verge, citing sources, says Microsoft is instead preparing a major Windows 11 release, version 27H2, due in 2027. Unlike the past two annual updates, which were small enablement packages that switched on features already shipped in monthly updates, 27H2 will be a full OS swap that replaces or upgrades major parts of the system, similar to 2024's 24H2 release.
The company began planning in 2022 to shift back to a three-year release cycle, and many expected the next big release to carry the Windows 12 name. Instead, sources say the focus for 27H2 is quality, part of Microsoft's effort to fix the bloat and reliability problems it has acknowledged in Windows 11. Because it is a bigger release, Windows Insider testing is likely to start well before the June timeframe used for recent updates. Whether Microsoft will ever move to Windows 12 branding remains an open question, with the report noting it could still be a few years away.
There are visible signs of the refresh, too. A new default wallpaper is expected to be unveiled at Microsoft's Ignite conference later this month, replacing the familiar Bloom design with variations for consumer, commercial and Pro versions, before a broad rollout in early January.
The reputation problem is real. Microsoft has been making steady performance gains, including memory optimisation that Windows chief Pavan Davuluri says can keep up to 2GB more active data in RAM on 8GB machines, and Windows Central's testing found the latest updates do improve memory usage. But the improvements are hard to notice without comparing systems side by side, and The Verge argues Microsoft also missed a chance to own up to the ads it has squeezed into Windows 11.