Microsoft preparing Windows 8 Developer Preview at BUILD, not beta?

By Tom Warren, on 16th Aug 11 1:45 pm with 57 Comments

Microsoft is currently preparing to unveil a pre-release version of Windows 8 next month.

Microsoft’s president of the Windows Division, Steven Sinofsky, revealed on Monday that the company would supply a “pre-release version over the coming months”, widely expected to be made available at BUILD next month. Chinese site PCBeta revealed an 8064 build of Windows 8, built on August 6. The build is part of Microsoft’s preparations for its BUILD conference next month.

PCBeta also posted a setup screenshot that indicates the build is a “Developer Preview” instead of a beta. Microsoft had been expected to supply an early beta copy of Windows 8 during BUILD, a schedule that would mark a shift from the previous Windows 7 development cycle. Microsoft originally supplied a developer preview build of Windows 7 at its PDC 2008 conference before releasing a public beta version at CES 2009. It appears from the recent builds that Microsoft is preparing a similar development cycle for Windows 8, which could indicate a public beta offering at CES 2012.

Microsoft revealed its new tablet interface in June. The interface puts touch at the forefront using the company’s familiar Metro design of live tiles. Microsoft is expected to detail Windows 8 in full at BUILD. A final version of Windows 8 is expected in mid-2012.

Windows Developer Preview build

  • http://www.Nave360.com Sebastian Gorgon

    that could all change within a month?

  • Anonymous

    Damn, I loved the idea of having an open beta better :(

  • Guest

    this builod is shared with OEMs, the Build build may be newer, possibly the M3 final build.

  • Anonymous

    They shouldn’t release any Beta version to nobody.. . You will have stop MS bashing commentators bashing an unfinished product for no good reason.. they should keep it under their wraps and bring it out when its ready !!

    • Aaron

      Yeah, releasing an open public beta is a horrible idea.  Good thing they didn’t do that for Windows 7, otherwise it would have flopped.

      Sorry for the sarcasm, I just think an open beta program is a good idea to hook people in.

    • Aaron

      Yeah, releasing an open public beta is a horrible idea.  Good thing they didn’t do that for Windows 7, otherwise it would have flopped.

      Sorry for the sarcasm, I just think an open beta program is a good idea to hook people in.

    • Aaron

      Yeah, releasing an open public beta is a horrible idea.  Good thing they didn’t do that for Windows 7, otherwise it would have flopped.

      Sorry for the sarcasm, I just think an open beta program is a good idea to hook people in.

    • Typhos

      Yepp, betas are good :-)

    • Typhos

      Yepp, betas are good :-)

    • Typhos

      Yepp, betas are good :-)

    • Anonymous

      What happened with the Longhorn/Vista open beta?  Things went so well I suppose

    • Jason

      So I guess since Vista was a flop, no company should ever release another beta version of its software.  If that were the case Google would never get a product out the door.  I’ve been using their SSL beta search for over a year….

    • Anonymous

      I never said that .. my point was releasing a public beta or the lack of this doesn’t necessarily guarantee the success of a product.

    • Aaron

      That wasn’t your point.  Look at your original post, you said MS should never do betas and only show their product when its ready to be sold.  I never said that beta automatically makes a product succesfull, but I will say it sure as hell does help.  The beta for Win 7 helped MS release a more polished product and it hooked a lot of skeptical folks in who were still mad about Vista.

    • Anonymous

      doesn’t work like that when you have to make sure it runs in billions of systems. something no other operating system in the world needs to worry about.

    • Guest

      Didn’t they say Windows 8 should work with all the devices that work with Windows 7 and should appear almost identical on a network as Windows 7 machines?
      That leads me to believe they’re doing nothing major in these areas which breaks existing drivers/hardware etc. – This should limit some of the concerns of hardware compatibility (and may allow for a reduced beta-period)

    • Jinge

      It’s much better to find a bug when a product is in beta phase (free) which you know it is not supposed to be a stable release and ask to correct it than to find a bug on a finished product you paid, which you can ask for them to correct it, but they never will because the team is working on something else. 

    • Matthewmsft

      [quote]beta phase (free)[/quote]

      interestingly enough, Apple charges for their betas ^_^

    • Anonymous

      Apple releases their OS on such a low number of devices they could proably test all of the devices they release it to and every single hardware configuration they sold of those.

    • Jinge

      It’s much better to find a bug when a product is in beta phase (free) which you know it is not supposed to be a stable release and ask to correct it than to find a bug on a finished product you paid, which you can ask for them to correct it, but they never will because the team is working on something else. 

    • wontbefooledagain

      Agreed.    My prior comments should read  download the beta “when it is ready”.  But apparently they are ready to show the world how W8 “will change everything” in less than 30 days.  But then again I “dont even know how this works”.

  • Anonymous

    I hope I can install this on my Mac via bootcamp, but I’m not getting my hopes up… Don’t have any PC that I can upgrade either.. 

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Pedro-Roque/100000194503830 Pedro Roque

      You have a Mac. You don’t deserve Windows 8!

    • MacWintel

      Shucks, a Mac makes one of the best Windows machines there is.  Very well designed hardware once you remove the original OS

    • OSPREDICTIONLITE

      Hey, MS product portfolio gets it done – no one does it better for business apps, and IW’s, but OSX is pretty schwingo and a bit if a waste if a well engineered PC, user friendly, almost too intuitive SW is stripped to run W7 or vOlder [sure - if your work environment necessitates - total sense].  Prediction: W8 “will change everything” w an OS that borders on an OSX rip-off.  Not groundbreaking from a prediction perspective, but deep down we all know as much – end user friendly UI, w enterprise WIN controls version of OSX for Admins & IT.

  • Typhos

    Im guessing there will be a beta by the end of the year

  • Guest

    Suspicious screenshot.
    The window caption font is not typical of what Microsoft uses. And why in the world would they spend time to code a caption font change if it is to use this one.

  • Guest

    Suspicious screenshot.
    The window caption font is not typical of what Microsoft uses. And why in the world would they spend time to code a caption font change if it is to use this one.

    • Tom

      Looks like you missed the part in the article that says this came from a Chinese web site.

      On Chinese Windows, the default system font is not Segoe UI.

    • Guest

      Thanks for the precision. I overlooked that fact.

  • Baileystein

    Agreed, ms is not going to release a public beta just yet. More likely 2 or 3 months after BUILD.
    MY PERDICTIONS:
    Windows 8 will RTM in mid-April.
    Windows 8 will be released on July 18, 2012.

    How do I know? If you average windows XP, vista, and 7 development times (from the release of a prior version to the release of the next version, you get 1000 days exactly. So, 1000 Days after October 22, 2010, is July 18th.
    I wish someone would please consider this date, I emailed it to winrumours, but no mention of me, they mentioned my date though as “mid-2012″. Thanks winrumours.

    • Guest

      Unfortunately, I think you’re right. Which means it’s pretty much game over for their tablet chances. What will Apple have by then, iPad6?

    • Matthewmsft

      that’s what people were saying about Windows Phone, but now with all the mistakes Google’s making, the Nokia deal, and the number of Apps for Windows Phone, people are predicting it to become number two in three-ish years.

    • Anonymous

      I think when Microsoft released Windows, Apple was quite ahead of Microsoft and look what happened…

    • Anonymous

      Breaking News: Apple renames iPad3 to iFad3…

    • Guest

      We don’t want a half-finished OS - give them time to make something really great. It’s really important they make Windows 8 really polished and good – This is the “re-imagining” of Windows, and you really shouldn’t be trying to throw (rush) it out the door…

      Otherwise you have to wait for another 2-3 years, until the next version comes out.

    • Guest

      We don’t want a half-finished OS - give them time to make something really great. It’s really important they make Windows 8 really polished and good – This is the “re-imagining” of Windows, and you really shouldn’t be trying to throw (rush) it out the door…

      Otherwise you have to wait for another 2-3 years, until the next version comes out.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah I agree. Microsoft is already behind in the tablet market. That won’t change whether they release this mid 2012 or early 2012. What they need is a really awesome product and that will put them in the game much more quickly than a mediocre product that comes out 6 months earlier.

    • http://twitter.com/mcakins McAkins Online

      It doesn’t matter if Apple release iPad1000 by then, come of us in this world would not go the Apple route because we don’t like being dictated to. So let MS take its time and release only when the soup is properly cooked.

    • jaycee13

      Final Release is on January 7, 2013

    • Anonymous

      Not a chance in hell. No way they will miss holiday 2012 sales.

  • Guest

    They probably would’ve released a feature complete beta, if the EU had already approve the Skype aquisition.

  • Guest

    They probably would’ve released a feature complete beta, if the EU had already approve the Skype aquisition.

  • http://twitter.com/iAmNowDiamonds Carl

    It has been common knowledge that Microsoft wouldn’t be releasing a beta at BUILD, the mid 2012 release date allows for further builds to address changes testers may propose.

  • http://twitter.com/iAmNowDiamonds Carl

    It has been common knowledge that Microsoft wouldn’t be releasing a beta at BUILD, the mid 2012 release date allows for further builds to address changes testers may propose.

  • wontbefooledagain

    BUILD is a fiasco.   Why are you going?  If you went, how did you sell your boss on it?   There is no agenda.   Its a joke.  Microsoft is spiralling in disarrary and all you “Softies” on this string know it.  Its a train wreck riding the rails of license revenue that will decline sharply.  Shoulda saved your attendance money and bought a Macbook instead.  W8.  LMAO.   Only 42% are on W7 so youre jumping the gun to get W8 ready anyhow.

    • thx1139

      Simple it is the unveiling and releasing the agenda lets the cat out of the bag.  I expect this to be much like the .NET unveiling in 2000. We didnt have an agenda then either.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Floyd/1358554781 Stephen Floyd

      Only 42% HAHHAHA yet before that you said get a mac, which has 5%…..

    • Anonymous

      only 42% in less than 3 years… wow thats bad! so bad for microsoft and windows /s
      and thats not even counting pirated windows!

      it seems like you dont even know how this works. yeah… better get a macbook and go to macrumors and shut up! ;)

    • Guest

      Vista to W7 release was not 3 years.
      Right now it is not 3 years for 42% for W7.

    • Guest

      Only the world’s fastest selling operating system ever.

      Agenda?
      How your going to be programming on the next version of Windows.

    • wontbefooledagain

      BUILD has ZERO agenda.    So Microsoft says jump and you say how high?   Come on.   Here is the agenda update as of June:   http://www.buildwindows.com/Agenda    What sessions will you be attending.   Yes, I said get yourself a Mac (all you Softy busybodys know how trendy it is to run around campus with your iPhone and Macs).   Come on.  “You don’t” get this?   Please.  Sure they make their money on corporate accounts (receding), Apple makes it on CC swipes, but look at the revenues.  Didn’t Apple exceed MS earlier this year (what was that factoid about the US Treasury & Apple?) Confess you insiders at the massive disarray within the giant.   It would give me no greater pleasure to see ongoing W7 proliferation and W8 released on time, heavy client and and server OS adoption (bright SP – flub SilverlIght).  Azure; hmm wasnt that launched back in 08 but they need to move Gu into the limelight spend millions on advertising in 2011?  Stop being so sheepish and “yay Windows 8, let go to BUILD”.  Anyone smart enough with any WIN OS experience can pretty much download the beta and start to play, reengineer the software, brush up on TechNet or other online training without going to a “conference” - especially one that is based on “Winrumors”, is less than a month away and has no agenda.  Sure, next year, an agenda, by all means, lets go. If they had an agenda, there would be no discussion here.  There is no agenda at BUILD.   None.   That is my point people.  Good luck in Anaheim. (Emily, OK – “shut up”.  Nice.)  (thx1139 “no agenda” and .Net became enterprise class how long later?  Java did pretty well back then and that Linux / other Open Source stuff - sounded like a big bang around the same time if memory serves).  I’m a lover people.  Not a hater.   But I also won’t be herded and expect you wouldnt be either.

    • Guest

      WWDC is a fiasco.   Why are you going?  If you went, how did you sell your boss on it?   There is no agenda.   Its a joke. Apple is spiralling in disarrary and all you “Softies” on this string know it.  Its a train wreck riding the rails of license revenue that will decline sharply.  Shoulda saved your attendance money and bought a PC instead.  Lion.  LMAO.   Only 4.3% (68% of the 6.4% of OSX users) are on SL so youre jumping the gun to get Lion ready anyhow.

      I guess you could say that about any event that doesn’t disclose the agenda so there is more of a reveal of what the company has been working on rather than spilling the secrets ahead of time, huh….

  • Anonymous

    Nooooo i was hopig for a public beta next month but am guessing not

  • Anonymous

    it has some logic, they did this with IE9 so they didnt’ have to focus immediately in UI while making better and better the product, obviously for this windows 8 and this huge UI change it will have, i think it needs sometime. some people want to test it BUT its better they work on it, while letting companys make drivers and software for it, so it will be ready when its released…. of course there is people also who will take beta build like final build, just like milestone versiones =_= so its better to keep it “secret” specially since windows 8 real change its about UI.

  • Anonymous

    Same as jailbreaking an iOS device.

  • Arties Pie

    Why would you buy a Mac to put Windows on it, if you want Windows build yourself a kick ass system for the price of a Mac. Unless you got the Mac for free.