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Windows 8 Release Preview Coming in Early June

Chloe Albanesius
 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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Microsoft announced today that the Windows 8 Release Preview will be available during the first week of June.

Windows head Stephen Sinofsky made the announcement during Japan's Windows 8 Dev Days, according to a tweet from Microsoft.

The company did not provide any other details on what Windows 8 Release Preview might include, but according to IDG News Service, Sinofsky said it will be the "most complete version" of the new OS, though there could be more pre-release versions of Windows 8, a spokeswoman told IDG.

The final version of Windows 8 is expected to be released later this year.

The announcement comes about two months after Microsoft released the Consumer Preview of Windows 8 during an event at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Sinofsky also spoke at that briefing, where he said the "goal with Windows 8 is to deliver PCs without compromise," meaning that the OS scales with you depending on how you want to use the OS and with what gadget - tablet, PC, or touch-based PC.

Earlier this month, Microsoft said it would release four editions of its next-gen operating system later this year – Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, Windows RT for ARM, plus a bulk-buyer edition.

For more, see PCMag's Hands On With Windows 8 Consumer Preview and the slideshow below.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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