The Questions Microsoft Didn’t Answer About Windows 10

Microsoft is very keen on showing us the new Windows 10 –– so keen, in fact, that it’s already gone and held two different unveiling events for it.

The company’s most recent showcase Wednesday gave Windows devotees and the curious a few sneak peeks at interesting new Windows features. But still, CEO Satya Nadella and his gang left plenty of big questions unanswered.

Of course, the software project is nowhere near being finished (otherwise we’d have it in our hands), but we still want answers. 

Here are some of the things we are still asking about the next great version of Windows.

When will the final, nonbuggy version be released?
The technical preview of Windows 10 has been available to registered Windows testers since October, but “later this fall” is the only hint Microsoft has given us on a release date for the final, bug-free consumer version. Microsoft has warned customers against using its technical preview releases for everyday computer use, so computer owners will have to wait a good number of months before getting their paws on Windows 10. But when, exactly, will it be available?

How much will it actually cost?
For the first year of its release, Windows 10 will be free to install on any machine that’s already running Windows 8.1 or Windows 7. The price after the “free upgrade” time window closes, or for those wanting to upgrade from Windows XP, remains unknown. The Windows 8.1 upgrade is currently sold by Microsoft for $119.99, but if the company wants to go the Apple Mac direction, it would have to keep its upgrades free for more than a year.

So does Microsoft start charging for Windows 10 after a year? And if so: how much?

Will developers actually start building apps for Windows with Windows 10?
One of the many shortcomings of Windows 8 was the dearth of quality apps in its app store. With Windows 10, Microsoft has unified its app stores for phone, tablet, and laptop, hypothetically making it easier and more attractive for developers to build stuff for Windows.

Whether those developers will bite remains to be seen. With a combined number of smartphone/tablet and PC apps just hitting 525,000 late last year, Windows has a long way to go before it catches up to Android and iOS, which each boast about 1.3 million apps. Is Windows 10 the release that attracts developers to the Microsoft ecosystem?

What will the system requirements be for Windows 10? Will really old computers be able to run it?
The hardware required to power Windows 10’s technical preview is outlined on the Windows Insider website, listing a 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of storage space. “Basically, if your PC can run Windows 8.1, you’re good to go,” it says. We assume that the final version of Windows 10 will have similar or identical hardware requirements. Most quality computers built in the past seven or eight years will have the necessary muscle. In fact, as pointed out in this article, Windows hasn’t really pushed up its system requirements since 2006, so there’s a good chance that folks trying to install on any Windows 7 or Vista machine (maybe even XP) will be good to go. But with so many sturdy Windows XP computers out there, we have to wonder how many will be left behind when it comes time for Windows 10.

How much of my personal information will Cortana actually know and give to Microsoft?
Microsoft, which was once hell-bent on protecting us from getting “Scroogled,” announced that Cortana, its competitor to Google Now and Siri, is now going to operate over the cloud and across device platforms, but while only collecting personal information “you tell it.” It’s unclear how that will translate for privacy advocates. Google very conspicuously skims Web searches and email messages to add context to its cloud-based intelligent assistant. The Windows-maker emphasized that there would be less of a Big Brother-y approach with Cortana, but we’d sure like to know more specifics on that.

Will all those Windows RT tablets be upgraded?
Microsoft has quietly announced its plans for the Windows RT tablet operating system, the confusingly named version of Windows that shipped with the Surface RT and Surface 2. According to a report by The Verge, RT tablets will not be upgraded to full Windows 10, but Microsoft will develop some of the new features of Windows 10 and package them into an upgrade for the Surface RT/2. It’s unclear exactly which new features will be brought over or whether non-Surface tablets that run RT, like those from Asus, Dell, and HP, will get them as well. Because the tablet-centric version of Windows was built to operate on mobile processors, the platform lacks the ability to run full desktop programs. It looks like things will stay that way.

Which Windows Phone 8 smartphones will get Windows 10?
The only news on this front is that Nokia, now owned by Microsoft, has set a goal to upgrade “the majority” of its Windows Phone 8 devices to Windows 10. We got our first glance at Windows 10 for smartphones at Microsoft’s Wednesday event, but in terms of upgrade and availability logistics, only a vague announcement of a “February” technical preview release was given. We’ve yet to hear anything from HTC or Samsung, two companies that also make Windows smartphones, about each company’s plans to upgrade current Windows Phone 8 models.

When, what, why, and how is Windows Holographic going to relate to Windows 10 on your computer?
Execs onstage Wednesday wowed us with a demo of the new hologram-based version of Windows 10, called Windows Holographic. (Our editor Rafe Needleman actually got to try it and confirms that it’s the real deal.) Its key hardware component is the HoloLens, a smart-glasses headset device that detects gestures and senses the environment. HoloLens is self-contained, so how exactly will the version of Windows 10 on your desktop or tablet tie in with Windows Holographic? Will holographic OneNote syncs be viewable on regular Windows 10? Will your saved Minecraft games be playable on HoloLens and PC all the same? So many questions.

*

It was good of Microsoft to pull the curtain back a little early on what it’s got cooking for the next version of Windows, but, boy, does it ever make us restless for more particulars and ETAs. For now: patience.