A Consumer Preview version of Windows 8, the next software update from Microsoft, which expected to be released later this year, will be released at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) to be held at Barcelona, Spain starting Monday, February 27, 2012. This will be a surprise announcement from Microsoft because all indications lead people to believe that Windows 8 will not be ready until the end of the year. Also, it indicates its desire to grab more mobile market share from the others especially from Apple who is not attending the conference. MWC is the best place to capture European and Asian manufacturers.

Windows 8, an operating system primarily designed for PCs, release at a dominant wireless conference has significance beyond PCs. Microsoft is expected to unveil specifications before the end of the month allowing manufactures to design mobile devices. These ARM based chips will use less power and are already available from Texas Instruments, Nvidia and Qualcomm for PCs.

Soon Windows 8 ARM will be spreading over to tablets made by major manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Sony and Samsung.

The new Windows 8 will challenge Apple who is dominating the tablet market with its signature iPad.