Windows 10

Ever since Microsoft announced its upcoming Windows press event, fans have been analyzing every piece of content they create. This has led to some interesting theories, collected below, about the next version of Windows.

In the fall, Microsoft is releasing a new feature update codenamed "Sun Valley," believed to be a significant upgrade for Windows 10, with new modern features and a refresh of the user interface.

This feature update is expected to be released in Fall 2021 as Windows 10 21H2 or the Windows 10 Sun Valley update.

During the Build 2021 conference, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that he and other employees have been internally testing a new version and said that a "significant update" would be revealed soon.

"Windows brings together all developer and collaboration tools in one place. It lets you choose the hardware you want, works with Linux and Windows as one, and has a modern terminal," Nadella said during Build 2021 conference.

On June 2nd, the Windows Twitter account tweeted an announcement about an upcoming press event where Microsoft will announce 'what's next for Windows.'

"Join us June 24th at 11 am ET for the #MicrosoftEvent to see what’s next. https://msft.it/6015VATZz," tweeted Microsoft.

This tweet included a video of light streaming into a room through a Window logo as the stream of light slowly crosses the room. While the Window logo has a crossbar, it is not reflected in the stream of light, which eventually forms what appears to be the number eleven.

With the event at 11 am and the video forming what appeared to be the number eleven, people immediately thought that Microsoft was hinting that Windows 11 would be announced.

To take things to the next level, someone overlaid a protractor over the final frame in the video to show that the floor outside the window was also angled 11 degrees.

11° on Window logo background
11° on Window logo background

Out of nowhere, Microsoft today posted a video to the official Windows YouTube channel called 'Windows | Startup Sounds – Slo-fi Remix.'

In what appears to be Microsoft teasing everyone, the video is exactly 11 minutes long and shows pleasing images of clouds and valleys, believed to be the Sonoma area from Windows XP, with a background mix of slowed startup sounds.

As the video is precisely eleven minutes long, people once again believe that this is another hint that Windows 11 will be announced in a few weeks.

"Microsoft shows a teaser of the Microsoft logo forming an 11, then leaks an image of the same logo, but with an angle of 11º, it now shows a video of 11 minutes in length and the event is at 11hrs (thanks @NightrollAx) Is Windows 11 coming?,"  reads a YouTube comment.

Furthermore, a mistakenly published Windows document change indicated Microsoft considers 'Windows 10' and 'Windows Sun Valley' different major versions of Windows. This could mean Microsoft is moving to a macOS-like naming scheme.

Reference to Windows 10 Sun Valley in Microsoft documentation site
Reference to Windows 10 Sun Valley in Microsoft documentation site

While everyone could just be reading into these images and videos too much, including us, it could also be Microsoft gleefully toying with everyone as they prepare for the press event.

Unless something significant leaks, we will have to wait until June 24th to know for sure.

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