The Windows 8 series might come to an end with the launch of Windows 9 in 2015.

According to WinSuperSite's Paul Thurrott, the future of the Windows brand may be given a preview at the BUILD 2014 developer conference in April. He noted the Windows 9 operating system has been codenamed "Threshold."

By the time April arrives, Microsoft is expected to complete its reorganization of its corporate team and start focus on Windows Phone and Xbox.

Windows 9, however, might not be released as soon as one might expect. Windows 9 will come after Microsoft launches the update for Windows 8.1.

"It appears that Microsoft is currently planning to use the Windows 9 branding and vision as a way to move away from some of the criticisms of the Windows 8 operating system," noted The Verge's Tom Warren.

One of the expected changes with Windows 9 is the return of the "Start' menu. The "Start" menu, however, could see an early return with the update of Windows 8.1.

"Maturing and fixing the 'Metro' design language used by Windows will be a major focus area of Threshold," Thurrott noted. "It's not clear what changes are coming, but it's safe to assume that a windowed mode that works on the desktop is part of that."

Thurrott added that the "most interesting " aspect about Threshold is how it "recasts" the Windows 8 operating system as the next Vista platform.

"It's an acknowledgment that what came before didn't work, and didn't resonate with customers," wrote Thurrott. "And though Microsoft will always be able to claim that Windows 9 wouldn't have been possible without the important foundational work they had done first with Windows 8-just as was the case with Windows 7 and Windows Vista-there's no way to sugarcoat this. Windows 8 has set back Microsoft, and Windows, by years, and possibly for good."

Windows 9 has a projected released date of April 2015, but Microsoft has not confirmed it.

What are your thoughts on Windows 8 and future for Windows 9?

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