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Qualcomm has become the latest tech company to signal that Microsoft’s Windows 12 is set to arrive in the coming months.
Qualcomm’s CEO Cristiano Amon tipped a potential launch date while discussing the company’s own upcoming product, the Snapdragon X Elite, a new Arm-based chip for PCs that promises to shake up the laptop market.
Windows 12 wasn't mentioned by name. But in an earnings call, Amon said the Snapdragon X Elite is slated to arrive in “mid-2024” when Microsoft unleashes the "next version of Windows."
“We're tracking to the launch of products with this chipset tied with the next version of Microsoft Windows that has a lot of the Windows AI capabilities. We're still maintaining the same date, which is driven by Windows, which is mid-2024, getting ready for back-to-school,” he said.
The mid-2024 date aligns with other rumors and news bits suggesting that a Windows 12 release is right around the corner. Last year, an Intel executive said: “We actually think '24 is going to be a pretty good year for client, in particular, because of the Windows refresh.”
Meanwhile, a December report from Taiwan’s Commercial Times has said PC manufacturers expect Windows 12 will launch in June of this year. If true, then Windows 12 will arrive less than three years after Microsoft released Windows 11 back in Oct. 2025.
The statement from Qualcomm’s CEO also suggests that Microsoft plans on outfitting the new release of Windows 12 with numerous AI-related features powered by OpenAI. Still, if Microsoft does launch a new Windows OS, it probably won't experience immediate uptake from consumers. Currently, 66% of Windows users remain on Windows 10, while only 27% of users have adopted Windows 11, according to Statcounter.