Rumor: Microsoft to Demo Windows 8 Next Week, Release Next Year?

Microsoft's President of Windows Steve Sinofsky is due to make an appearance at the All Things Digital D9 conference and represent Microsoft alongside other tech industry bigwigs. But According to WinRumors, Sinofsky is going to be doing a lot more than just trading words with men equally as rich as he is--he's bringing along some Windows 8 goodness.

A source, familiar with Microsoft’s plans, has informed WinRumors that Microsoft is planning to demo its Windows 8 Tablet UI at D9. Microsoft has a habit of introducing new technologies at the Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital Conference, which will run from May 31 to June 2 this year. Bill Gates introduced Microsoft’s Surface computer in 2007 and the company demonstrated Windows 7 multitouch in 2008. Microsoft will show a “technology preview” of its Windows 8 Tablet experience at the conference next week.

ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley also just heard Steve Ballmer confirm that the first Windows 8 devices will be launching in 2012. He specifically referred to it as "Windows 8", which is a first real sort-of-confirmation that it could be the official name. He also mentions tablets and slates separately when discussing what form factors Windows 8 will be found in. Here's the full quote:

“We’re obviously hard at work on the next version of Windows. Windows 7 PCs will sell over 350 million units this year. We’ve done a lot in Windows 7 to improve customer satisfaction. We have a brand new user interface. We’ve added touch, and ink, and speech. And yet, as we look forward to the next generation of Windows systems, which will come out next year, there’s a whole lot more coming. As we progress through the year, you ought to expect to hear a lot about Windows 8. Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs, a variety of different form factors.”

We had heard previous rumors that Microsoft was planning to show off the tablet version of Windows 8 first before the traditional PC versions. Also according to the Dell roadmap that had leaked earlier this year, the company's first Windows 8 powered tablet is due in Q1 of 2012 which is coming up pretty quickly.

So Mango this week and Windows 8 next week? We could get used to this.

Source: WinRumors, AllThingsD, ZDNet