Microsoft to hold new Windows OS technical preview in San Francisco

Software giant Microsoft is expected to provide a technical preview of its new Windows 9 operating system at an event in San Francisco in late September.

The event, billed as a chance to hear about what's next for Windows and the enterprise, will be held on September 30.

The company on Monday sent out invitations for the event which experts say will talk in broad strokes about features aimed at corporate users for the next version of Windows, which people are informally calling Windows 9.

The new Windows OS has sprung a dozen leaks, with videos showing off its new Start Menu functionality, along with the a number of business-facing features, like virtual desktops.

Screenshots and videos of the Windows Technical Preview have leaked over the past week, revealing the addition of a new Start menu, a virtual desktops feature, and a Notification Center.

Microsoft is expected to deliver a Windows Technical Preview at the event or soon after so that developers and enterprise customers can evaluate a number of changes the company is making.

The company also appears to be tweaking its desktop user interface to improve and flatten the traditional icons, alongside some taskbar changes for future Cortana integration and virtual desktops.

The target audience for the event underscores the reputation repair work Microsoft needs to do in the corporate world. Business-tech sales represent about two-thirds of Microsoft's profit but the company alienated some corporate-PC users with the 2012 introduction of Windows 8 along with the Surface line of tablets.

The operating software was designed to work best on touchscreen devices, but some corporate-tech buyers said the software did not work well on the typical office-worker setup of a keyboard, mouse and non-touchscreen PC.

The software maker, however, is not expected to release preview of its updated version of Windows RT that may include Windows Phone components until early 2015.

(PTI)