Windows 12 has been in rumours for quite some time now and the next operating system was highly anticipated to be released in the second half of this year. Microsoft has finally confirmed that the Windows 11 24H2 update will be released later this year, shutting down all the rumours of a potential Windows 12 release in 2024. While the exact launch date remains under wraps, it is promised to be a major update. It is expected to come with several new AI features and improvements.

Microsoft, through a Windows Insider blog post, last week announced that Windows 11 24H2 will be the next major feature update to arrive this year. “Starting with Build 26-xx today, Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to version 24H2. This denotes that Windows 11, version 24H2 will be this year’s annual feature update. As mentioned here, Windows 11 will have an annual feature update cadence that releases in the second half of the calendar year,” the company said.

The latest announcement by Microsoft contradicts previous rumours about a possible Windows 12 release in 2024. Not much is known about Windows 11 24H2 now, but some reports and leaks suggest that AI capabilities will be the major focus of the next update. The features speculated to arrive in Windows 12 could be released under Windows 11’s 24H2 patch. The update is expected to take advantage of the new hardware-accelerated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) of new PCs. It could include a new Sudo command, voice clarity upgrades, energy-saving improvements and more.

The Windows 11 24H2 is expected to include an advanced Copilot. Microsoft is expected to offer its own DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling)-like Super Resolution technology within the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 update for enhancing gaming performance. It could use AI to make supported games play smoothly with enhanced details. 

Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 in 2021, and since then, the company has released several significant updates and new features to the operating system. It is currently available on over 400 million monthly active devices, and it could hit 500 million monthly active devices by early this year. Now, the tech giant seems to be following an annual feature update cycle for Windows 11, scheduled for release in the second half of each year, marking a departure from the smaller Moments updates for the operating system.