The next chapter of Windows

With Windows 8.1 on its way this week, some are already starting to speculate about what is coming next in the Windows lineup.

Microsoft is making Windows 8.1 commercially available over the next day-plus (depending on your time zone).

Unsurprisingly, this milestone leads many Microsoft watchers, partners and customers to wonder what will be coming next. Again, unsurprisingly, Microsoft officials aren’t talking about what will be the follow-on to Windows 8.1, codenamed “Blue.” But that doesn’t mean things are at a standstill.

Here’s what I’m hearing from my sources.