Introduction Windows 8 is the upcoming release [2] of Microsoft Windows , a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops , laptops, netbooks , tablet PCs , and media center PCs. A Windows 8 release date has been set according to unofficial sources for October 2012, [3] three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows 7 . Windows 8's server counterpart, Windows Server 8 , is in development concurrently with Windows 8. The most recent officially released pre-release version is the Consumer Preview , which was released on February 29, 2012.