Microsoft has unveiled an update to its latest Windows operating system that included a return of a “Start” button that had been missed by longtime users of the computer software.
The tweaked version of the operating system, nicknamed Windows Blue, will be previewed on June 26 and will be a free update for users of Windows 8.1, according to the Redmond, Washington-based technology titan.
“It’s Windows 8 even better,” Windows program management corporate vice president Antoine Leblond said in a blog post.
“Windows 8.1 will deliver improvements and enhancements in key areas like personalization, search, the built-in apps, Windows Store experience and cloud connectivity.”
Microsoft returned a well-known Windows logo to the lower left corner of computer screens in what was seen as a resurrection of a banished “Start” button missed by users.
“Not only will Windows 8.1 respond to customer feedback, but it will add new features and functionality that advance the touch experience and mobile computing’s potential,” Leblond said.
Windows upgrades include Bing-powered searches that expand Internet queries to include searching apps and files on computers along with data stored in Microsoft’s online SkyDrive service.