Windows 8.1+ Software Update "Threshold" To Unify PCs, Phones, And Xbox One

This week the Windows 8.1 (formerly known as "Blue") software update continues to roll out as it has for the past several weeks, making way for the same sort of push for Windows Phone devices this spring. What's just appearing this week for news on the generation after this one is the likes of "Threshold", a system that'll further combine the powers of the Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, and Xbox One software environments. This update series, as it were, will be delivered in the spring of 2015.

Word of "Threshold" comes from Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet, having previously spoken about some "spring 2015" updates without detail. Here we're to understand that Microsoft Executive Vice President Terry Myerson has literally mentioned the Threshold codename in internal emails. These emails have also suggested that Myerson has mentioned a plan for "his unified operating-system engineering group."

While Windows Phone 8.1 is on track to be delivered in the spring of 2014, the first big update to Windows 8.1 for PCs is set to arrive right alongside it, also pushing additional connections between the two systems. When the Threshold wave arrives, it'll continue to push the Microsoft "high value activities" mission. These activities include:

- Expression / Documents

- Decision Making / Task Completion

- IT Management

- Serious Fun

Those of you that've been following code-names delivered by Microsoft (accidentally or on purpose) will remember Cortana from earlier this year. Cortana was derived from the Xbox One gaming universe – as is Threshold. This time we're speaking about the very first Halo planet from the Halo video game series – big time plans, that is.