Although there have been rumors from many different sources, Microsoft today officially denied there will be no Windows 8.1 Update 2. The successor of Windows 8.1 Update 1 was expected to be released next Tuesday, the 12th of August. On that date there will be an update nevertheless but according to Microsoft the update is part of a regular patch/update Tuesday.
Brandon LeBlanc, Microsoft's Senior Communications Manager explains on the Windows Blog that the company will release updates more frequently, "Rather than waiting for months and bundling together a bunch of improvements into a larger update as we did for the Windows 8.1 Update, customers can expect that we'll use our already existing monthly update process to deliver more frequent improvements along with the security updates normally provided as part of Update Tuesday."
Although Microsoft will from now on release more frequent updates which include improvements and security fixes, these updates won't have a naming convention like Windows 8.1 Update X. And there will certainly be no Windows 8.1 Update 2, as LeBlanc writes, "so despite rumors and speculation, we are not planning to deliver a Windows 8.1 Update 2."
Nevertheless, the update, considered to be Windows 8.1 Update 2, should be considered a regular update. The update does bring some improvements to Windows 8.1, as LeBlanc reveals on the Windows Blog:
- Precision touchpad improvements – three new end-user settings have been added: Leave touch pad on when a mouse is connected; allow right-clicks on the touchpad; double-tap and drag.
- Miracast Receive – exposes a set of Wi-Fi direct APIs for Independent Hardware Vendor (IHV) drivers or OEM drivers to develop Windows 32-bit applications that run on all supported x86-based or x64-based versions of Windows 8.1, enabling the computer as a Miracast receiver.
- Minimizing login prompts for SharePoint Online – reduces the number of prompts with federated use in accessing SharePoint Online sites. If you select the “Keep me signed in” check box when you log on for the first time, you will not see prompts for successive access to that SharePoint Online site.
So together with the regular monthly patch Tuesday updates, the company promises to improve Windows 8 faster than before, as LeBlanc writes, "With these monthly updates, we continue to refine and improve Windows 8.1 in a more nimble way, creating a richer experience for all Windows customers."
