Windows 8 Is Released

Microsoft released Windows 8 on October 26, 2012. The operating system combined a touch-oriented Start screen with the traditional Windows desktop, making it one of the most radical interface changes in Windows history.

Windows 8 introduced a new application model with sandboxed Windows Store apps, faster startup using a hybrid shutdown technique, Secure Boot support on UEFI hardware, and tighter cloud integration through Microsoft accounts. It also included a new Task Manager and improved file-copy interface.

The engineering was substantial, but users focused on the disappearance of the Start menu and the awkward movement between full-screen touch apps and desktop software. Windows 8 became a case study in how a technically coherent mobile strategy can still fail when it conflicts with the habits of an existing desktop audience.