Microsoft is preparing to release Windows 8.1 Update 2 on August 12, according to leaked information from Russian technology website PCPortal.org.ru as reported by Neowin.net.
Windows 8.1 Update 2 appears to be smaller compared to Windows 8.1 Update 1 and may only contain upgrades to the stability of the operating system, not newly-developed front end features.
While the contents of Windows 8.1 Update 2 are still largely unknown, users may not have to wait too long to find out as reports show that the update is coming in August.
The update is looking like it would be part of "Patch Tuesday," which will fall on the 12th of next month.
Leaked information includes snapshots of what is said to be authentic Microsoft documentation. The document states that the update, which will be a standalone update, has a release date of Aug. 12, 2014.
The small size of Windows 8.1 Update 2 comes as Microsoft is winding up to launch Threshold, which will be the next big Windows update.
Rumors are emerging that Windows 9, codenamed Windows "Threshold," may be released by as soon as the end of the year. Windows 9 will bring back the iconic Start Menu that was removed with Windows 8, along with changing the orientation back to being desktop-focused as opposed to the Metro UI tile-based system implemented for Windows 8.
Windows 9 will also be able to recognize the device that it is installed in, allowing the operating system to maximize its efficiency depending on the strengths and features of different devices. This moves away from the failed strategy of Windows 8 to use a single operating system among different kinds of devices, which was not able to fully utilize the capabilities of the devices.
Early last month, it was reported that the percentage of users of Windows 8.1 caught up with the percentage of users of Windows 8, with both operating systems enjoying a usage rate of over 6 percent.
Windows 7 continues as the operating system with the highest usage rate, with over 50 percent of users using the operating system.
Users of Windows 8.1 increased by 2.35 percent since the beginning of 2014, while users of Windows 8 have declined only by a percentage of 0.27. These figures mean that new Windows 8.1 users are either purchasing new Windows 8.1 products or are upgrading into Windows 8.1 from operating systems other than Windows 8.
However, despite users being prone to more threats in security, Windows XP still holds the second spot behind Windows 7 in terms of popularity among operating systems. Windows XP users are slowly declining as they upgrade, but data reveals that users are upgrading to Windows 7 and not to Windows 8.
