Microsoft is to release its new operating system, Windows 8, to the public in October, the company announced on July 9. The new software, which is designed to help Microsoft compete with Apple and Google on mobile devices, will be available in over 100 languages in 200 markets, Microsoft executive Tami Reller said at Microsoft's World-wide Partner Conference in Toronto.
Windows 8 will be available in four editions, including a version that will run on ARM chips that are widely used in mobile phones and tablets. It is the first-ever full Windows version that is not designed exclusively for the Intel-based chip architecture that dominates the PC market.
Microsoft says that Windows 8 represents the biggest change to its operating system since its introduction of Windows 95, which introduced such concepts as the start button and task bar.
The new software completely rethinks the desktop by featuring live tiles which group together commonly used functions and offers users a uniform way to access their information across smartphones, tablets and PCs.