Did Microsoft just reveal its new Windows 8 UI? Update: No

By Tom Warren, on 29th Aug 11 8:14 pm with 105 Comments

A Windows future taskbar?

Microsoft appears to have shown off a new Windows user interface during its own marketing video.

The new taskbar appears in a Flexible Workstyle Ad (video) recently created for Microsoft’s Windows Enterprise group. Microsoft shows off the user interface shortly after the narrator says “a single idea can make people see things they’ve never seen before.” It’s not immediately clear whether this is Microsoft’s Windows 8 task bar or if it’s just concept art that has appeared in a marketing video. Microsoft is known for its concept videos and future visions but generally sticks to shipping products for any type of marketing videos.

The interface is shown twice in the video and appears to show a clock in the middle of the taskbar surrounded by text. The flattened appearance of the Windows Start button is consistent with what Microsoft has revealed so far for Windows 8. The interface is animated, indicating that this appearance is not the work of a single concept image. Microsoft has been rumored to be preparing an updated Aero version for its Windows 8 user interface. Recently leaked builds indicate the company may allow low-end machines to use the Windows Aero interface in a software mode, taking advantage of a systems CPU and RAM capabilities. Microsoft has typically only allowed specific graphics cards to enable Aero.

Microsoft is currently preparing a “Windows Developer Preview” of Windows 8 for release next month at the company’s BUILD conference. The preview will likely contain a number of near final parts of Microsoft’s work with Windows 8 but will not mark the “beta” stage of Windows 8. WinRumors will be live from the BUILD conference from September 13 onwards, stay tuned for up to the minute coverage of Microsoft’s grand Windows 8 unveiling.

Update: Unfortunately this isn’t a future Windows UI at all. WinRumors reader Fludlyt points out that it is in fact rainmeter, a third party application for Windows. “That is the Enigma theme by @kaelri for Rainmeter which was made in 2008 and the exact taskbar theme can be seen here on Flickr > http://bit.ly/qPb8Jh . If you like it download it at http://enigma.kaelri.com/ :)”

Latest Windows 8 news:

Anonymous

I think “reveal” should be more suitable than leak

http://www.winrumors.com Tom W

True, thanks
Anonymous

You just got your wish.

Now wish for a happy mobile world…!
Anonymous

You just got your wish.

Now wish for a happy mobile world…!

http://www.withinwindows.com Rafael R.

Why watermark an image from a public video source?
http://www.withinwindows.com Rafael R.

Why watermark an image from a public video source?

Jimbarnes

die troll
Jimbarnes

die troll
Anonymous

wow… i like how people like you insult a cool guy like Rafael, specially when he is right. its not like Tom took the picture, he just grabbed it from the video, a video everyone can go and watch.
Dino

well technically he is right. should i capture a screenshot from a movie and add my watermark on it? isn’t that stealing credits? but hey, the image above is no issue for me. i’m just saying rafael is right.
Anonymous

because he spotted .. got issues with that?
Anonymous

because he spotted .. got issues with that?
Doug Jnr

you guys must have come here from neowin.
Show Rafael some respect!
Doug Jnr

you guys must have come here from neowin.
Show Rafael some respect!
Guest

Fantastic insightful comment. Keep em coming.
Guest

Fantastic insightful comment. Keep em coming.

http://twitter.com/iAmNowDiamonds Carl

It’s a possibility, but probably not. Advertising won’t have access to the builds in the first place.
http://twitter.com/iAmNowDiamonds Carl

It’s a possibility, but probably not. Advertising won’t have access to the builds in the first place.
Windows8Techerz

if it looks like this… ID KILL To get it!

Anonymous

Remove “to get it” and you’d have my reply there.
Guest

Whadda surprise. Not.
Anonymous

Bawwww
Anonymous

Bawwww

Candid Calum

I do hope the new design is much more Metro than that. I’d like to see no glass, and I’d like the “Desktop mode” to go very well with the Immersive experience.
Candid Calum

I do hope the new design is much more Metro than that. I’d like to see no glass, and I’d like the “Desktop mode” to go very well with the Immersive experience.
mesasr

so they show the classic UI on many devices(lots of thinkpads there!) and even show phones running WP but no Metro UI on tablets? come on, thats the most anticipated feature!!
mesasr

so they show the classic UI on many devices(lots of thinkpads there!) and even show phones running WP but no Metro UI on tablets? come on, thats the most anticipated feature!!
http://timrfox.com Tim Fox

Beautiful!!
http://timrfox.com Tim Fox

Beautiful!!
SimonG

Looks pretty cool, hopefully it’s on the way soon!
SimonG

Looks pretty cool, hopefully it’s on the way soon!
Anonymous

I’m glad this is shown, most people still think Windows 8 is all tablet (metro only UI) and no more classic Windows 7 look. This surely should confirm black is black and white is white for those folks.

In regards to the article… Sweet.
Anonymous

I’m glad this is shown, most people still think Windows 8 is all tablet (metro only UI) and no more classic Windows 7 look. This surely should confirm black is black and white is white for those folks.

In regards to the article… Sweet.
http://doctorwhofan98.wordpress.com/ doctorwhofan98

Looks… interesting. I like icons, so I hope they aren’t replaced by text…
http://twitter.com/PossessedTARDIS George Sabourin

So how do you manage applications? If they remove the superbar and make us have to switch applications like Windows 8 showed. Then I’m staying on 8. That would be going backwards in productivity.
http://twitter.com/jayoakesy Jay Oakes

Sweet
http://twitter.com/jayoakesy Jay Oakes

Sweet
http://twitter.com/jayoakesy Jay Oakes

hope it isn’t just concept stuff
http://twitter.com/jayoakesy Jay Oakes

hope it isn’t just concept stuff
http://twitter.com/jayoakesy Jay Oakes

hope it isn’t just concept stuff
http://twitter.com/nick_forster Nick Forster

that a clock in the middle?!
http://twitter.com/nick_forster Nick Forster

that a clock in the middle?!
Raffimaurer

I assume they showed that in to video simply to generate excitement ahead of the BUILD conference.
Raffimaurer

I assume they showed that in to video simply to generate excitement ahead of the BUILD conference.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Simon-Paul/12449401 Simon Paul

Based upon the Zune software and other UI leaks, I think it will be far more Metro than that is far as the Chrome “less” effect. I’d don’t believe anything until they release it publicly. Until then its all just development based UI’s that are most likely far from complete/final.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Simon-Paul/12449401 Simon Paul

Based upon the Zune software and other UI leaks, I think it will be far more Metro than that is far as the Chrome “less” effect. I’d don’t believe anything until they release it publicly. Until then its all just development based UI’s that are most likely far from complete/final.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Simon-Paul/12449401 Simon Paul

Based upon the Zune software and other UI leaks, I think it will be far more Metro than that is far as the Chrome “less” effect. I’d don’t believe anything until they release it publicly. Until then its all just development based UI’s that are most likely far from complete/final.
matt

The PowerPoint slide doesn’t match the thumbnail – does this suggest that it is in fact a concept?

Benj

Think that may be because those are slide notes on the side there.. not necessarily the slide itself.

http://twitter.com/Nik297 Nico Conti

who made the discovery?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=11814278 Chris Woelfel

Damnit, I wanted to say “pics or it didn’t happen…”

We shall meet again Tom…we shall meet again…
Richard Windsor

Oh wait…its still Windows….no thank you.

http://www.gadgeterija.net Denis Jelec

You are on the wrong website, with your first comment. Ever. One does wonder what’s wrong there…
Anonymous

I find it hilarious that you’re one Winrumors. Crawl your a$$ back to the Apple sites you sycophantic tw@t.
Guest

Your choice, Dick.
Guest

Your choice, Dick.

Anonymous

Microsoft describes this video as such:
“Today’s workers are tech-savvy and increasingly mobile. They work anywhere, anytime, on any device they need to get the job done. IT’s challenge: fuel the productivity and keep everything compliant and secure. Find your Flexible Workstyle today.” They also link to Windows 7 Enterprise on the video page.
On the Windows 7 Enterprise home page they say “Enable Diverse Workstyles in Enterprise today.” and that more information will be coming soon “in August.” I don’t think anything new has been revealed, if anything they jump the gun of their flexible workstyles reveal, not Windows 8.

Anonymous

hahah everyone is bringing their iPads to work, nobody wants Winblowz.
Anonymous

I guess I need to state the obvious, 400 million people have purchased Windows 7, and use it.
Anonymous

Wrong. Nobody willingly purchased Winblowz 7. They had no choice by getting a PeeCee.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Viki-Maverick/100002523433166 Viki Maverick

Why don’t you go back to those Apple forums and troll about windows there. We are all Windows lovers here. Would like some constructive comments instead of the nonsense rant.
Guest

Idiot, I willingly purchased it and so did many people I Know.
Guest

Idiot, I willingly purchased it and so did many people I Know.
Prakash Heda

arrowsmith, your comments are baseless
Guest

Your comments are getting stupider with each post.
Prakash Heda

guest comment ignore….i have ipad and w500 both, ipad is in dust since i got my w500
Blogsworth

I have an iPad, but unfortunately I find it no more than a toy. I cannot wait for the windows 8 tablets to come out so I can do something more useful than just browse the web and play angry birds
Blogsworth

I have an iPad, but unfortunately I find it no more than a toy. I cannot wait for the windows 8 tablets to come out so I can do something more useful than just browse the web and play angry birds

Anonymous

Microsoft describes this video as such:
“Today’s workers are tech-savvy and increasingly mobile. They work anywhere, anytime, on any device they need to get the job done. IT’s challenge: fuel the productivity and keep everything compliant and secure. Find your Flexible Workstyle today.” They also link to Windows 7 Enterprise on the video page.
On the Windows 7 Enterprise home page they say “Enable Diverse Workstyles in Enterprise today.” and that more information will be coming soon “in August.” I don’t think anything new has been revealed, if anything they jump the gun of their flexible workstyles reveal, not Windows 8.
Vladan

I think this is just a concept, it’s way too Aero. Let’s just wait until September 13th.
Vladan

I think this is just a concept, it’s way too Aero. Let’s just wait until September 13th.
Vladan

I think this is just a concept, it’s way too Aero. Let’s just wait until September 13th.
Vladan

I think this is just a concept, it’s way too Aero. Let’s just wait until September 13th.
http://twitter.com/michaelantj Michael James

Wow, it looks really seamless, good find Tom
Anonymous

Nice,

I hope they’ll add more eye candy like animations and transition animations in Windows 8.
http://twitter.com/michaelantj Michael James

It might sound a bit sad, but i sort of had a mini panic/excitement attack when i saw that picture
Benj

I look at the task bar and think this is just a rainmeter-like skin instead of the actual task bar..
Why get us used to the W7 super task bar and then get rid of it so soon in 8? Unless they’re doing some fancy task bar swap.. I’ve always wanted multiple task bars i can cycle through so I can sort my programs and just pin ‘em all..
Anonymous

Good
Just anything apart from the one in Windows 7
We need a change from that

This keep making me wishing for sept 13 to come early enough because of BUILD
Jona1287

So. Dumb. This is the new UI. Try to pay attention. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2011/jun11/06-01corporatenews.aspx

http://twitter.com/michaelantj Michael James

Your the dumb one, that’s the immersive UI not the desktop UI

Jona1287

So. Dumb. This is the new UI. Try to pay attention. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2011/jun11/06-01corporatenews.aspx
Jona1287

So. Dumb. This is the new UI. Try to pay attention. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2011/jun11/06-01corporatenews.aspx
http://twitter.com/jjmustang79 Jerad

It looks like PowerPoint controls to me. Perhaps apps can take over or use the taskbar as part of their UI.

I see Play (

4), Skip (
and the clock, which could be a timer. The Previous and Rewind controls wouldn’t be visible because it’s the first slide. But it’s also in Edit mode, not Presentation mode, so I would think that the Slideshow Navigation controls would be hidden in that mode.

Perhaps this is Office 15?

Another possibility is that it’s a custom control that Lenovo has put on this system. They like their
http://www.flavors.me/fludlyt Fludlyt

That is not the new Windows 8 UI. That is the Enigma theme by @Kaelri:twitter for Rainmeter which was made in 2008 and the exact taskbar theme can be seen here on Flickr > http://bit.ly/qPb8Jh . If you like it download it at http://enigma.kaelri.com/.

http://twitter.com/Kaelri Michael Engard

Huh. So it is. Cool to know that someone at Microsoft is a Rainmeter user.
http://twitter.com/Kaelri Michael Engard

Huh. So it is. Cool to know that someone at Microsoft is a Rainmeter user.
Guest

Good catch.
Guest

Good catch.
http://www.winrumors.com Tom W

Good catch thanks. Will update article.

Anonymous

They also altered the look of the Vista Task Bar (white button) and they animated some Windows Phone interfaces that are different. These seem only some random concepts. It wouldn’t make sense to put a clock in the middle and why would they put in a Windows 8 design? This video was most likely done outside of Microsoft.
Anonymous

As we all know PowerPoint is dead so Microsoft would never reveal something new with PowerPoint near it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/aug/28/powerpoint-party-switzerland-ban
Anonymous

How is this article title related to UI, Isn’t the taskbar part of the UI and not the UI itself..?!
SDreamer

I’m not sure why everyone wants to get rid of the taskbar, I think it’s the best tool for multitasking. I really like it when it comes to touch as well. What’ I’d really like is that new UI as the desktop, hitting the start button to get to the desktop. From that UI video of building Windows 8, I really did not like how you switched tasks by shuffling, it limits your amount of programs to run, because it would be a hassel going through 8 programs everytime you wanted to change apps. If there was some sort of taskbar, you could just jump task to task.
Cloud

I don’t hate Aero UI , but I MUCH prefer Metro UI
Zapppa

For me is only rainemeter
http://doctorwhofan98.wordpress.com/ doctorwhofan98

That’s a relief. I don’t really like it…
http://doctorwhofan98.wordpress.com/ doctorwhofan98

That’s a relief. I don’t really like it…
http://service.ztronics.com/ Notebook Repair

It is a technology that use for both the news regarding internet and software.
http://service.ztronics.com/ Notebook Repair

It is a technology that use for both the news regarding internet and software.
http://www.facebook.com/ben.joynes Ben Joynes

I bet he knew it’d throw people, using a Rainmeter theme on a MS Win8 Test PC, why?
Lee Mirowitz

PHEW!! If that was the new Metro look I’d cry. I had a feeling Microsoft wouldn’t just move a clock around, flatten a logo, and call it a day. Win8′s gotta have A LOT more to live up the hype and expectations around it. Here’s to seeing some deep UI improvements!
Lee Mirowitz

PHEW!! If that was the new Metro look I’d cry. I had a feeling Microsoft wouldn’t just move a clock around, flatten a logo, and call it a day. Win8′s gotta have A LOT more to live up the hype and expectations around it. Here’s to seeing some deep UI improvements!
http://service.ztronics.com/ Motherboard Repair

Great …..Love it! I enjoyed it and that is why I shared it with my technology manic friends –they love it too.
http://www.bestofferbuy.com/vga-to-1080p-hdmi-13-converter-box-100240v-ac-p-50911.html hdmi converter 1080p

For the awesome info I’ll be back for sure.
Thank you!
http://mydiscoutlet.com/products/dvd-duplication/ DVD Copies

I agree with what Simon says, we should wait for the final release and then comment on how or what we feel about it.