The latest pre-release version of the Windows 8 operating system will become available during the first week of June, a Microsoft executive said Tuesday in Tokyo.
Microsoft has said that Windows 8 will be released this year, with media reports saying it will be launched in October.
June’s Release Preview of the OS could possibly be followed by more pre-release versions, according to Microsoft Japan spokesman Masaki Ida. Typically a release candidate is a time-limited version of an operating system that’s nearly complete and is shared with the public as a final test.
Microsoft released a Developer Preview of Windows 8 last year, and then a Consumer Preview in February. The latest version had notable performance issues, including with its touch interface.
Windows 8 will come in four official versions: Home, Pro and Enterprise for PCs with x86 processors, and Windows 8 RT for tablets and other devices with ARM processors.
The current version of the OS, Windows 7, was released to the general public in October 2009.
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