Microsoft confirms Windows will merge into one operating system

Speaking in an earnings call today, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has confirmed that in the next version of Windows, the company will amalgamate the current three versions of Windows into the one operating system.

Nadella said that the one operating system will cover all screen sizes, ranging from desktops and laptops, to tablets and smartphones. While he didn't specify what this version of Windows is called, previous rumors have indicated it goes by the codename 'Threshold', effectively making it Windows 9.

It was also revealed that Microsoft has internally restructured the company since the departure of Steve Ballmer, with Nadella saying the company now has "one team with a common architecture".

While the next version of Windows will be a singular operating system, it'll still be sold in different versions, some with a subset of the features to suit the particular device. For example, it's expected that the Windows Phone and Windows RT versions of Threshold will not include the desktop, but will run universal Windows apps also available for desktop systems.

The latest rumors claim Windows 9 will launch in early 2015. One of the features that will make a comeback for desktop users is the Start menu, recently pictured in leaked screenshots. Nadella said there will be more announcements surrounding future versions of Windows in the coming months, but didn't go into detail.

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Start menu showed off in leaked Windows 9 images

Windows 9, codenamed internally at Microsoft as 'Threshold', is still a while away from hitting even the release candidate stage, but that hasn't stopped some fresh images of the operating system leaking out.

Screenshots from MyCE show build 9795 of what's currently still labeled as Windows 8.1. The most interesting thing in the screenshot is an early version of the Start menu, which is expected to return in Windows 9. The new Start menu shows both Modern apps and desktop apps in a hybrid pane, building on the last iteration of the Start menu we saw in Windows 7.

Visually it's quite similar to the sneak peak we saw at Build in early April, and no doubt Microsoft will tweak and improve its design in the lead up to the release of Windows 9.

Also shown in the leaked screenshots is one of the 'Metro'-style apps running in a window on the desktop; another feature expected to be included in Windows 9. Alongside the return of the Start menu, this feature is designed to make the operating system more friendly for keyboard and mouse users.

According to the latest rumors, Microsoft will launch Threshold in early 2015 as both a standard x86 version, and a version that combines Windows RT and Windows Phone. Major improvements to the Xbox One's operating system are also set to launch at the same time.

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