Today Microsoft at Mobile World Congress announced the first update to Windows 8.1, with Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore, who is responsible for phones, tablets, and PCs from Microsoft, it also revealed the update is coming “this spring” and will largely focused at improving the experience for mouse and keyboard Windows 8.1 users.
Joe Belfiore also confirmed that the update will include improvements like a title bar at the top of modern apps, and the power / search buttons on the Windows 8.1 Start Screen.
With Microsoft also says there will be “easy” launching and switching of apps via the Windows 8.1 taskbar, alongside new mouse UI for right-click and closing apps. It’s clear this is largely designed for mouse and keyboard users, and Belfiore admits Microsoft has heard the complaints.
“Some of those touch affordances weren’t really tuned as well as we could do for those mouse and keyboard users,” says Belfiore. “We found people weren’t aware of where they should look in the UI. Those are the things we’ve really started to improve for this update coming this spring.”
With the spring update for Windows 8.1 will also allow OEMs to lower their specifications for devices. Also Joe Belfiore says PC makers will be able to use just 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage in future Windows 8.1 devices, this is a big change that will help bring lower price points.
Microsoft haven’t named the update today, but internally it’s known as “Update 1” for Windows 8.1. No exactly date when the update will become available, but the company is largely expected to detail it fully at the Build developer event in April before releasing it early that month.
