Windows 11 was only released a couple of months ago, but Microsoft is already planning to begin work on the next version of its omnipresent OS fairly soon, according to at least two independent reports.
The first comes from German Windows news outlet Deskmodder.de, whose sources have claimed that Microsoft will begin the development of Windows 12 in March. According to Deskmodder, Microsoft had been busy reshuffling its teams and seeking the right employees for the project, one that is now presumably ready to fulfill its duty in bringing the next generation of Windows to life.
Deskmodder’s report has been echoed by Decent Security’s author, SwiftOnSecurity, who shared in a now-deleted tweet about how a source at Microsoft had told him “Windows 12 is already under development, and it’s going to require two TPMs.” While it isn’t clear whether that part about TPMs is a joke or not, it has prompted some to speculate that Windows 12 will require not only a Trusted Platform Module, but also a separate security processor (e.g., Microsoft Pluton).
Windows 11 only came out around four months ago, having been officially released on October 5, 2021. Many of the operating system’s biggest critics have argued that the OS doesn’t feel anywhere near complete, which makes the news regarding Windows 12 all the more interesting.
Windows 12 – Microsoft starts work from March (Deskmodder.de)
- That doesn’t mean that we’ll see a new Windows 12 tomorrow. This can still drag on, because you start (almost) from scratch. One can assume that the Windows 10 substructure will then be completely abandoned. Windows 11 still has this substructure.
- That means in plain English: What you started with Windows 10 X, to do everything new, is then really implemented in Windows 12. The latest changes in the Insider already show where the path is going. Leave out the old ones and only implement current things.
- PS: The information from SwiftOnSecurity that two TPM modules are then required is of course a joke. But if you start now, also for the Pro, you need an internet connection and later also an MS account, you can already imagine in which direction things are going.
Windows 12 Development Reportedly Begins In Earnest Next Month (Tom’s Hardware)
- Swift on Security isn’t a heavy humor account by any means, but Deskmodder says that this reference is just a joke. Digging through our previous coverage of Windows and security, we think Swift on Security may be talking about Windows 12 requiring both a TPM and on-chip hardware like the Microsoft Pluton Processor and or AMD Platform Security Processor.
- “Ryzen 6000 includes the new Microsoft Pluton security co-processor, which adds more functionality and “Xbox-class” security in addition to AMD’s existing Platform Security Processor (PSP),” explained AMD. “The PSP still controls firmware authentication for secure boot, mapped I/O during runtime, and a cryptographic engine for security purposes. The Pluton processor steps in for fTPM functionality and additional OS-directed features.”