IT abroad: Microsoft CEO to show off public beta version of Windows 8

Steve Ballmer, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation, will take part in CES 2012, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow due in January, to show off innovative new products. Windows 8 is expected to become the highlight: CES 2012 is likely to feature demonstration of the public beta version of new OS.

In his speech Steve Ballmer will most probably emphasize the competition with Apple in general and with iPad in particular, and show off the first version of Windows for ARM and, perhaps, the first Microsoft ARM-tablet.

In mid. June 2011 Dan'l Lewin, corporate vice president for Strategic and Emerging Business Development, announced that Windows 8 OS was due in autumn 2012. He mentioned that at Microsoft Build conference scheduled for September the software giant will touch upon key issues related to software development for Windows 8. After that the company will prepare the beta version of the software platform, and roughly in 12 months there will be the OS final release, Lewin announced.