Microsoft has big plans for Windows over the next few years. Last week, our senior editor Zac Bowden exclusively reported that Microsoft will move to a three-year release cycle for major versions of Windows. That's a significant shift from the company's previous strategy. At the moment, the tech giant plans to release a major version of Windows in 2024, which would be three years after the launch of Windows 11.
Bowden's report didn't speculate on the name of the next version of Windows, but that didn't stop people from around the web from discussing it. Rather than trying to guess what Microsoft will call the next version of Windows, we asked you what the company should call its next OS. The poll results show Windows 12 as the heavy favorite among our readers.
Just under 60% of voters chose Windows 12 as their name of choice for the next major version of Windows. 21.36% want Microsoft to remove the numbering system altogether, simply calling the OS "Windows."
We held a discussion on our official Discord server about the topic alongside our poll.
"I think they should start naming it based on year like office and visual studio, internal version can continue with the current numbers," said PNvmkpk in our Discord forum thread on the topic.
"I think just continue with numbers to keep it simple," said Kiryuchaann on Discord. "Windows 12 should be fine. Though I wonder if they will skip Windows 13 due to superstition or not. If then, maybe they will do an actual name?"
Heliod argued that using complicated names can confuse people. "When you make them a bunch of fancy names people lose track of which one came after or which one's new or which one's old Etc you make it a simple number it's easy and obvious to know which ones the new one which ones the old one."
RodaczyskoX expressed a desire for Windows 11 to be the final version of Windows. "I don't want a new Windows. Windows as a service. Windows 11 is the last Windows"
While the poll is closed, you can still jump on over to our Discord server to discuss the future of Windows.
