Major Windows releases may now ship every three years

With the release of Windows 11, Microsoft moved to a yearly release cadence from two major updates a year. But according to a report from Windows Central, the software giant is again moving to a new development cycle that will see Microsoft delivering major Windows versions every three years.

The current Windows 11 version will be updated with new features four times a year, starting in 2023. In a new engineering effort called” “Moments”, Microsoft will roll out these features “at key points throughout the year,” outside of major releases.

Microsoft originally planned the Windows 11 Sun Valley 3 update for a release in 2023. But now that the company is moving to a new development cycle, the Sun Valley 3 release is now scrapped. Instead, it will roll out Sun Valley 3 features to the Windows 11 22H2 version throughout different points of the year. However, it’s unclear whether Microsoft will bump up Windows 11 version when introducing the Sun Valley 3 features.

Major Windows releases every three years are not entirely new to Microsoft. It used to release major versions of Windows every three years before Windows 10 came to the market. Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 releases have a three years gap. Microsoft is again going back to the old days with its new release cadence.

Microsoft’s next major version of Windows will release in 2024, as per the report. Microsoft is internally calling it “Next Valley,” but that is not the official name. The next major version of Windows could be called Windows 12, as we heard rumors related to its development sometime back. However, these are all rumors, with no official words from Microsoft, which means you should take it with a pinch of salt.

If the reports are true, are you happy with Microsoft’s new development cycle? Do you prefer it to a yearly release cadence? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Source: Windows Central