'Windows 10 Mobile' Release Date is ‘Sometime in 2015,’ But a Preview Coming January 21

Windows 10 Mobile release date is not yet officially set but it will be sometime within the year. In fact, as early as December 11, Microsoft officials have sent out invitations to selected press and analysts for a preview event scheduled for Wednesday, January 21. The event is dubbed 'Windows 10: The Next Chapter' and it will have Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Windows execs Terry Myerson and Joe Belfiore, and Xbox chief Phil Spencer speaking via live streaming from Redmond.

Windows 10, the next upgrade to Microsoft's proprietary operating system, aims to address present shortcomings in the user interface as well as unify the Windows, Windows Phone, and Windows Embedded product families around a common internal core. Back in July, Nadella already announced that the company was planning to "streamline the next version of Windows from three operating systems into one single converged operating system for screens of all sizes." Myerson promised that Windows 10 would be Microsoft's "most comprehensive platform ever," capable of providing a single, unified platform for desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones and all-in-one devices.

Regarding the choice of name for the upcoming operating system, Myerson did not mention anything as to why Microsoft skipped directly from Windows 8 to 10, saying only that "based on the product that's coming, and just how different our approach will be overall, it wouldn't be right."

A 'Windows Technical Preview' or public beta of Windows 10 was released on October 1, 2014. Testers who opt into the 'Windows Insider' program receive occasional automatic updates to the Windows Technical Preview, allowing Microsoft to collect feedback on changes throughout development of Windows 10. On January 10, Microsoft also introduced a Phone Insider application at the Windows Phone Store which "provides registered Windows Insiders the ability to receive pre-release OS updates on their phone, directly from Microsoft."

A more definite official Windows 10 release date is expected to be known following this Wednesday's preview event in Redmond.