Microsoft Windows 8.1 Shipping To PC Manufacturers In August

Microsoft Windows 8.1 will be given to PC manufacturers by August and will then start shipping to customers in time for the holiday shopping season.

Microsoft announced its plans to start shipping Windows 8.1 while speaking on Monday at its partner conference.

The Windows 8.1 update will be free to all Windows 8 customers and will therefore add no additional costs to PCs purchased with the platform.

As we previously reported, Windows 8.1 includes a bunch of bug fixes and offers new ways to handle data. For example, users can change the size of their Windows Tiles to create a better user experience. Windows 8.1 also offers a start button, a boot to desktop feature, and a universal search that includes on-device and web capabilities.

Users expecting a major update to the system may be disappointed, The Next Web’s writer Alex Wilhelm offered the following first impression of the Windows 8.1 update:

At the risk of overusing a word that should perhaps be typed only once monthly, Windows 8 is… quirky. Sadly, despite its strong improvements, Windows 8.1 does not fully assuage, or solve that fact. […]

All told, Windows 8.1 is a worthy and welcome upgrade, and one that stands up to testing. However, it isn’t perfect, and doesn’t correct all the flaws of its ancestor.

If you simply can’t wait to get your hands on the official Windows 8.1 release, it is currently available in full preview form.

Keep in mind that downloading the free preview version of Windows 8.1 may leave you with some bugs as beta testers continue to help work out any wrinkles in the updates new build.

Will you be purchasing a new Windows 8.1 PC or upgrading your computer when the official OS update arrives?