Windows 8.1 “August Update” to Be Optional

[Matsuda]

Windows 8.1 August Update is expected to ship next week and, even though Microsoft is trying to keep everything secret, quite a lot of details arrive through unofficial channels.

This time, a report published by WinSuperSite reveals that Windows 8.1 August Update is going to appear in Windows Update as an optional update, meaning that all those running Windows 8.1 next week will have to manually select this pack in order to install it.

This might surprise some folks given the fact that Windows 8.1 August Update is one of the most anticipated products released by Microsoft this year, but this could happen due to the fact that the update doesn’t bring anything too exciting, so there’s no reason to make it mandatory.

Since the update will go live on next Tuesday, the same day when Microsoft is rolling out this month’s Patch Tuesday fixes, chances are that many might actually ignore this update, and focus only on the ones that are labeled as critical and mandatory for their systems.

The same source says that the Windows 8.1 August Update would also ship as a standalone update, so you could also download it separately from Microsoft’s servers and install it on your computer without the need for Windows Update.

Previous reports on this indicated that Windows 8.1 August Update could be published on MSDN on August 15, thus giving developers the option to download the update separately. Microsoft could also release a new Windows 8.1 ISO with the August Update included in the installer for MSDN subscribers.

As far as the naming is concerned, we’ve heard people asking whether the August Update is as sign that Microsoft could move to a faster cadence and release updates for its operating system more often.

This most likely is not the case and Microsoft only calls it this way to signal the launch of another large update for Windows 8.1. Much more attention however is given these days to Windows 9, the next full Windows release that’s expected to arrive in April 2015 and include all the features that were initially believed to be included in Windows 8.1 August Update.

As for the official announcement for this new OS update, Microsoft would most likely share some details this week, possibly on Tuesday, when it publishes the advance notification for this month’s Patch Tuesday rollout. And still, do not expect anything too exciting from this update, as all eyes are on Windows 9.

Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-8-1-August-Update-to-Be-Optional-Shipped-as-Standalone-Update-453515.shtml#

[software182]

Waiting for new ISO from wzor :naughty:

[geeteam]

"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, customers can expect that we’ll use our already existing monthly update process to deliver more frequent improvements along with the security updates normally provided as part of 'Update Tuesday.' So despite rumors and speculation, we are not planning to deliver a Windows 8.1 'Update 2,' - Microsoft stated in an official blog post.

As for the Patch Tuesday -- which comes every second Tuesday of the month -- the update will arrive through Windows Update (WU), Microsoft Update (MU), and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Whereas, Windows 8.1 users who have opted for automatic updates, might get the update a bit late, as it’s a “gradual rollout.”

Microsoft is offering several new features to Windows 8.1 users in the upcoming Patch Tuesday scheduled to arrive on August 12. Some of these features include;

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.

Source

[netman]

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/08/05/august-updates-for-windows-8-1-and-windows-server-2012-r2

[anuseems]

Microsoft has announced the August updates for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

In April, we released a bigger, more comprehensive package of improvements to Windows 8.1 called the Windows 8.1 Update. We did the same for Server too, with Windows Server 2012 R2 Update. As we said at the time, our goal is to continue to deliver improvements to Windows through regular updates in order to respond more quickly to customer and partner feedback. After all, we already have a regular monthly update process that includes security and non-security updates.

With the above in mind, 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, customers can expect that well use our already existing monthly update process to deliver more frequent improvements along with the security updates normally provided as part of Update Tuesday. So despite rumors and speculation, we are not planning to deliver a Windows 8.1 Update 2.

Well continue to use our normal channels such as Windows Update (WU), Microsoft Update (MU), and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to deliver updates to Windows. These updates will include security updates to help keep you protected, as well as non-security updates that can bring a range of improvements to your PC or tablet running Windows. Examples of some of these non-security updates are the Windows Store Refresh in May and the June update to OneDrive to improve your control of sync. Some of these improvements might be more visible or even new features, while others might be more behind-the-scenes that improve things like the performance and reliability of your device. With these monthly updates, we continue to refine and improve Windows 8.1 in a more nimble way, creating a richer experience for all Windows customers.

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/08/05/august-updates-for-windows-8-1-and-windows-server-2012-r2/

Edited August 6, 2014 by anuseems

[anuseems]

So despite rumors and speculation, we are not planning to deliver a Windows 8.1 Update 2.

[Mr Orus]

However, as you know, it's already posted. - Threads merged.