Yesterday, Dell presented its new generation of XPS notebooks and revealed a new version among the promotional materials Windows 11 24H1 which aims to be the “Moments 5” update we’ve been waiting for.

Dell specifically states that Windows 11 24H1 “will be available for download from April this year and for factory installations from August 2024”. Or what is the same thing, updating on existing Dell computers and pre-installing on a new device, respectively in the mentioned dates.

Since OEMs usually take several months after Windows versions are released, the dates match perfectly with the rumors of another version to be released in February for the general channel. The question is, where is the alleged Windows 12 with this data?

What Windows 11 24H1 will bring us

The first major update of 2024 will be based on a new “Moment”, a type similar to the Service Pack updates used in Windows 7, but much lighter and better controlled. Dell talks about native Wi-Fi 7 support as one of the big news. You already know that the final specifications of the new wireless connectivity standard have already been published and are expected great commitment this year by all suppliers.

How Microsoft must adhere to standards European Digital Markets Act, more news to come. And it will be interesting in that users will have to return control and decision-making power regarding the choice of browsers and other applications. This way you can uninstall Edge and other unnecessary apps that have better third-party alternatives like Camera, Photos or Cortana.

Microsoft will also enable interoperability of the Windows Search panel, which means that alternative search providers (Google, DuckDuckGo, Qwant…) will be able to create a plugin for the Windows Search panel that will allow users to switch to another search provider. We will see how it is implemented and how it affects the interface and operation.

Some of the pre-installed applications, such as Notepad or those related to the digital store Microsoft Store, will also receive an update, as well as minor changes in the interface. No big news is expected, although those related to the taskbar and start menu need a review.

When is Windows 12?

With these release dates, previous rumors placed it in June, but everything is up in the air. Besides the technical problems, Microsoft has a big problem with the huge share of Windows 10 and little interest in Windows 11. If in a few months it releases Windows 12 would cause platform fragmentation and other complications to support three active operating systems. We’ll see.