Windows Update Could Unify Xbox One and PC

I haven´tfigure out yet what to make out of this piece of news.

Is it something positive ? On one hand MS promise to bring back the start menu

Said version will allow users to run floating Metro apps on the desktop, and also bring back the Start menu, although the latter addition will likely be consigned to Windows on desktops.

On the other hand, unifying Windows OS with X1 and Windows Phones ? What the **** that means ? Will Windows OS be even more dumbed down ? Is it time to pack up and move to Linux ? I mean this quote makes me cringe.

According to Microsoft, all three will bring Xbox One and Windows interfaces closer together.

Who the **** wants that ? No PC Gamer want this.

SOURCE IGN

The next Windows update could allow Microsoft to consolidate Windows, Windows phones and Xbox Ones into a universal operating system.

The update, which is thought to be the "Threshold" wave announced last week, will unite all three platforms from a user perspective, complete with a common app store across the trio. The update is thought to be a response to complaints aimed at WIndows 8.1.

"Threshold" will ship in three different versions, according to Windows Supersite: a consumer-focused Windows much like Windows RT, a release based on the x86 codebase, and a traditional Enterprise version. According to Microsoft, all three will bring Xbox One and Windows interfaces closer together.

Although it didn't use the word "Threshold," Microsoft did release more information on the "next version of Windows," which is likely the aforementioned update. Said version will allow users to run floating Metro apps on the desktop, and also bring back the Start menu, although the latter addition will likely be consigned to Windows on desktops.

#Xaero4king

Great, now they can make an even worse user interface.

No idea what that means. It may mean the development for both platforms may come closer, as in make an app for metro and it will run on xbox or vice versa, an xbox game may run on metro. Maybe cross-play between W8 and xbox. It may mean a shitload of things.

I'm still cursing my self for upgrading to Windows 8 and after that damn 8.1 update many of my apps stopped working. No way in hell I will be upgrading again unless ever single review site on the planet says that it removes all the $hit from Windows8/8.1.

Ummm, nothing wrong with this.

If this means you can buy an app on X1 or PC or WP and it works on all... I see no reason not to..

other than that... nothing to do with PC gaming or desktop. just metro.

Means nothing in regards to Xbox One games. They're on their own OS. Means everything for the apps side of Xbox One. Getting the development tools aligned so that you can design a metro style app that will run on Windows desktops, tablets, phones, or xbox one means a larger user base, which means more developer interest and more apps. It means users would only have to buy an app once (for paid apps) and would get to use it on any device they own. It means support is easier because they're only supporting one app instead of three different versions (XB1, Windows, & Phone)...

It basically means more options and better choice for users.

So of course, as we all know. That's terrible. Damn you Microsoft.

God i hope steamOS takes off so more games will start coming out on Linux. Been hostage to only one OS and MS not exactly great

Unless it involves gaming, I dont care.

I hope XboxOne related crap stay as far away as possible from my glorious gaming pc.

Unfortunately that's not true as of yet, unless you come from the future (in which case I apologize), but it's where they're headed. They're running on the same kernel. Some of the apps exist on multiple platforms and SOME of the APIs overlap, but they haven't made it to compile once run everywhere, yet.

As for the other posters... Uh.. I've got nothing that's going to make it through your tinfoil helmets...

We now return you to your regularly scheduled paranoia and trolling.

My Windows 8.1 update works fine and it's a Samsung ATIV Book 8 laptop with AMD Enduro (Intel HD 4000 + Radeon HD 8870M hybrid)**.

**Full OEM support from Samsung.

God i hate 8.1 and you can't reverse it either unless you've got the disc for a new install. I don't know what MS are doing at the moment, i mean why remove system restore? Really hope i don't get any problems else i'm pretty much fucked as system restore was usually my go to fix.

Then you're very few of the lucky ones. Hell even Skype stopped working after upgrading to 8.1. Seriously a mere update caused compatibility problems for many of the apps I use and so far I'm still trying to get it to work, since the original vendors don't support 8.1 yet.

By the way, I have Windows 8 Pro.

Skype works fine for me.

I updated from Windows 8.0 Pro MCE to Windows 8.1 Pro MCE. Samsung's OEM support for Windows 8.1 upgrade for my laptop was good.

My old DELL Studio XPS 1645 (Intel Core i7-740 QM + 8 GB + Radeon HD 5730M + OCZ SDD 512 GB) laptop's update from Windows 7 to Windows 8.0 failed i.e. it has issues with it's DELL supplied bloat-ware. I was force to do a clean install on this laptop, but all my work apps and files are on the VMware Workstation's virtual machine, hence it's easy get back to work ready state. The Windows 8.0 Pro MCE to Windows 8.1. Pro MCE update for my old DELL laptop was successful. I have decommissioned this laptop and moved to my Sammy laptop.

My LAN party mini-ITX PC (Intel Core i5-2500K + Radeon HD R9-290) still runs on Windows 7 Pro and I plan to do a clean Windows 8.1 Pro install over the XMAS week. I have ISO image for Windows 8.1 from MSDN subs.

I thought it was under System Protection:

I thought it was under System Protection:

Good. The next update seems like pretty much perfect OS.

Lol at people who will try SteamOS

@jun_aka_pekto: Oh thanks! I looked for it a few weeks back, couldn't find it and after googling somewhere said it had been removed. Apparently not however.

Well, I don't really like working on VMs. I mean when you could run it on PC directly why have another layer and besides I never had this sort of problem before not even when I upgraded from XP to Vista. Didn't have any reason to worry about it since it was just suppose to be a simple update.

I'm talking about Skype for Desktop, not the Skype App that comes with Windows 8.

The reason I use VM is mostly due to my corporate domain/Active directory login requirements and I don't want to bloat my main Windows installation with Windows development/SDKs/debuggers tools.

With 500 GB Samsung 840 SSD + Intel VM extensions, my VMs (VMware Workstation 9 with Direct3D support) runs like native Windows box. I have multiple VMs sitting on USB 3.0 SSDs.

With VM+USB removable SSD drive, I could plug it to my Dell Venue Pro 8 inch tablet or my Samsung laptop and continue on working. I like my VMware Workstation app.

Yeah, tested both, they both work fine.

Exactly........

This would be great!

I don't care about interface. I care about games. Microsoft didn't bring any worthwhile PC game in the past, what 10 years.

10 years is way to long. They did have some nice pc titles in this period. So it's more like 5 years.

@zeeshanhaider:

It's a good idea to list your apps that doesn't work in Win 8/8.1 in case any of us here might have the same apps later.