Microsoft Backtracks After Senior Employee Says “Windows 9”

Worried that Microsoft was going to keep the “Threshold” codename on the next version of Windows? Fret not, it probably won’t. In a speech to employees, Alain Crozier, president of Microsoft France, called the new operating system “Windows 9” quite recently, and there is tape of it.

I confirmed with a colleague who could translate that the phrase “Windows 9” was uttered.

Microsoft has followed up with a statement for the ages: “On September 30, we will be providing an update on what’s next for Windows and the enterprise.” The comment provided to French media was more extensive, adding something to the effect of “there is no name yet!” (Spoiler: there is a name.)

So Microsoft says “Windows 9” out loud, and then says that its employee — a bigwig, to boot — was mostly talking out of his ass. Microsoft is hedging here, and that’s to be expected.

What’s the chance that it is called something else? Lay your bets in the comments.