Microsoft will be launching Window 8 in 2012

Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer on Monday confirmed that Windows 8, the next iteration of the software giant's operating system, will be available in 2012.

Speaking at a Microsoft Developer Forum in Tokyo today, Ballmer said Microsoft is "obviously hard at work on the next version of Windows." "As we look forward to the next generation of Windows systems, which will come out next year, there's a whole lot more coming," he continued. "As we progress through the year, you ought to expect to hear a lot about Windows 8. Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs, a variety of different form factors."

Windows 8 Beta:- Once again there are mixed opinions in regards to the release date of the Beta. However, one thing is for sure, there will be plenty of testing on Windows 8 before they release the operating system to the public. Some suggest that the Beta could be out as soon as April 2011, while others says that late 2011, early 2012 is a more realistic release date. One more rumour about the Windows 8 beta is that there will be two versions and they will both be available to the public to test.

128-Bit? Robert Morgan (an alleged member of the senior research and development team at Microsoft) let slip (on his LinkedIn page) that 128 bit development could be ready in time for the release of Windows 8. However, many are suggesting that there was no Robert Morgan and the page was setup by a prankster. In my opinion it seems more likely that Widows 8 will be 64 bit, which will be able to support 32 bit, and the 128 bit will be more likely in Windows 9.

Interface to be called Mosh? Some sources are saying that Windows 8 will have an interface called Mosh which will be used for tablets that support Windows 8. Alongside this, there could be new application models (codenamed Jupiter) that will be found in the new windows app store, specifically designed for release of Windows 8. As the team at Microsoft is rather quiet on the matter there is only one thing we can say for sure, and that is that Windows 8 will bring some new and exciting updates to the way we look at computing.

Ballmer also talked up Windows Phone and the expected 500 new features that the next upgrade will bring. Microsoft is expected to unveil more details about that upgrade, codenamed Mango, at a press event in New York on Tuesday. It will be webcast live on Microsoft's Web site at 10am Eastern time.

Ballmer also reiterated that Microsoft has "some work to do" when it comes to tablets, but stressed that "there will be a day in the future where it will be hard to distinguish a phone from a slate, from a PC." "You literally will have displays that become paper thin and very easy to fold out form your phone," he concluded. "And at the same time, you're going to get more and more PC-like capabilities in smaller form factor devices."