Microsoft’s annual developer conference is going on right now, and it has already revealed that you won’t find much of Windows at the event. Although, CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that the “next-generation” of its Windows operating system (OS) would be unveiled soon.

“Soon, we will share one of the most significant updates to Windows of the past decade to unlock greater economic opportunity for developers and creators,” Nadella said in his keynote. The executive went on to say he’s been personally testing the operating system for quite a few months and is incredibly excited about it.

The update is dubbed Sun Valley and a few details have leaked in the past. The OS is expected to get a massive UI overhaul and added features. The massive update is said to be slated for the second half of 2021.

Software as a Service

Another important detail about Nadella’s announcement is how he calls the OS as just “Windows” and not “Windows 10.” It’s possible that Microsoft could drop the numbering system after decades of usage. Windows 10 was said to be the last iteration because it’ll always be updated via OTA updates. Instead of servicing it as a product, Microsoft shifted to the SaaS (software as a service) model.

“Our promise to you is this: we will create more opportunity for every Windows developer today and welcome every creator who is looking for the most innovative, new, open platform to build and distribute and monetize applications. We look forward to sharing more very soon,” Nadella said.

The OS is an iconic Microsoft product that has stood the test of time. It now runs more than 1.3 billion computers worldwide and almost everyone has grown up operating it at some point. Microsoft was supposed to launch Windows 10X, an OS specially designed for dual-screen phones, but the plan had to be dropped.