Microsoft denies Windows 8.1 Update 2 rumors, sticks to Patch Tuesday schedule with next updates on August 12

Microsoft today denied all the rumors and speculation surrounding a supposed Windows 8.1 Update 2 release. Instead, the company says it will stick with its existing monthly update process “to deliver more frequent improvements along with the security updates” that it normally provides on Patch Tuesday (the second Tuesday of every month when the company releases software updates).

After the release of Windows 8.1 Update in April, many sources pointed to a second update coming later this summer. While the company has indeed been working on improvements, the decision came to simply push smaller, more frequent updates, “rather than waiting for months and bundling together a bunch of improvements into a larger update as we did for the Windows 8.1 Update.”

The next Patch Tuesday is scheduled for August 12. Here is what Microsoft is promising to deliver then:

• Precision touchpad improvements – three new end-user settings have been added: Leave touch pad on when a mouse is connected; allow right-clicks on the touchpad; double-tap and drag.
• Miracast Receive – exposes a set of Wi-Fi direct APIs for Independent Hardware Vendor (IHV) drivers or OEM drivers to develop Windows 32-bit applications that run on all supported x86-based or x64-based versions of Windows 8.1, enabling the computer as a Miracast receiver.
• Minimizing login prompts for SharePoint Online – reduces the number of prompts with federated use in accessing SharePoint Online sites. If you select the “Keep me signed in” check box when you log on for the first time, you will not see prompts for successive access to that SharePoint Online site.

The above will be bundled into one update, according to Microsoft’s wording. Windows 8.1 users will receive it automatically (expect a gradual rollout) via Windows Update and enterprises will be able to get it optionally through Windows Server Update Services.

See also – Windows XP falls below 25% market share while Windows 8.1 loses share for the first time and Microsoft announces Windows 8.1 with Bing to help partners sell lower-cost devices, will debut at Computex