page_title: Windows 8
section_title: Reception
hierarchical_section_title: Windows 8 / Reception
caption_attribution_description: English: Toronto Microsoft Store
context_page_description: Windows 8 is an operating system that was produced by Microsoft, released as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. The product was released to manufacturing on August 1, 2012, and generally to retail on October 26, 2012. It is the successor to Windows 7.
  Windows 8 introduced major changes to the operating system's platform and user interface to improve its user experience on tablets, where Windows was now competing with mobile operating systems, including Android and iOS. In particular, these changes included a touch-optimized Windows shell based on Microsoft's "Metro" design language, the Start screen, a new platform for developing "apps" with an emphasis on touchscreen input, integration with online services, and Windows Store, an online distribution for downloading and purchasing new software. Windows 8 added support for USB 3.0, Advanced Format hard drives, near field communications, and cloud computing.
caption: Windows 8 ultrabooks device showcase in a Microsoft Store Toronto.
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