Since Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 are both already released, it is only natural to assume that Microsoft must be working on the next iterations of both operating systems. This assumption has now been substantiated, thanks to a few Microsoft-related posts and LinkedIn profiles, which mention both Windows 9 and Windows Phone 9.
The first hint is in the profile of a current Microsoft employee. This person’s job description includes ‘working as a software engineer’ and ‘currently testing Windows 9 OS on Nokia, HTC and Qualcomm devices.’ She may have mistyped, since the right OS to test on the mobile devices she mentions, would be Windows Phone 9 and not simply Windows 9.
Another LinkedIn profile, somehow linked to Microsoft, hints about Windows Phone 9. In this case, the job description states the deployment of XAP/APPX application from Windows Store to Windows Phone 9. In other words, this hints that the testing on Windows Phone 9 is already under way.
The third instance involves a new job post for the position of ‘Bing Software Development Engineer.‘ The details of the job responsibilities includes integrating the service into both, Windows 9 as well as Internet Explorer 11. In other words, we may also see a new version of Microsoft’s browser some time soon.
The problem with the mentions of ‘Windows 9’ is that Microsoft is due to release Windows Blue soon. The company can’t release both versions so soon, so it may be that Windows Blue will be a minor upgrade over Windows 8 and Windows 9 would be the real thing. This may be the same as in the case of Windows Vista, which served more as a transition OS towards Windows 7.
Source: Msftkitchen/Microsoft Careers
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