Microsoft considering naming Windows 9 (and everything else) just “Windows”

Potentially confusing news from Microsoft as it has emerged that the company is considering rebranding all of its different operating systems – Windows 9, Windows Phone and Windows RT (tablet windows) to simply be called, umm, “Windows”.

The news comes from Softpedia, which cites “sources” – and it would square with other indications we’ve got from Microsoft. The whole device philosophy at the company is “the same experience on multiple devices” – and there have also been reports that Windows 9 will for the first time enable developers to build apps that run on desktop, tablets and phones all from the same code – so in a sense, they would be the same Windows.

However, such a move would obviously be full of confusion for the less tech-savvy. Not all apps will run across all devices, even if all devices claim to run “Windows” (with no version sub-name to caveat it). So perhaps you can look forward to explaining to your mum why she can’t load up full desktop Microsoft Excel on her phone in a couple of years time.