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News of the launch of a Windows 9 OS in April and sale in 2015 are good indicators of how badly received by the tech world was Windows 8, launched 15 months ago only.

Paul Thurrot, a blogger, wrote that Windows 8 is failing Microsoft worse than Microsoft would publicly admit or discuss, while its latest release - Windows 8.1 - is used on less than 25 million PCs.

The introduction of Windows 9, likely at the Build developer conference in April, will provide more details on Microsoft's plan which could possibly include the release of an update to Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 slated for release that month.

When Microsoft releases Windows 8, it aimed to be a bold reinvention of the tech giant's best-selling software in which users would no longer need to click on icons and boxes but rather touch the screen as Microsoft's way of making the firm a major player on mobile phones and tablets.

Criticisms lead to a free upgrade, Windows 8.1, that brought back the "Start" button. Mr Thurrott wrote that the plan of Microsoft to introduce a series of changes during the April conference is its way of keeping distance from the Windows 8 debacle, leading to dropping the name and branding the next release as Windows 9.

NetMarketShare, an Internet statistics portal, estimates that total share of Windows 9 to 10 per cent, significantly lower than competitor Android. Its predecessor, Windows 7, continues to enjoy increase in sales. However, Windows 8.1 has an even lower adoption rate of only 3.6 per cent as of mid-January.

Another industry researcher, TechMarketView, said that corporate clients are still purchasing more Windows 7 PCs, while "Windows 8 is not getting a look-in from the corporate users and the consumers I've spoken to all say they appalled by it," said TechMarketView Chairman Richard Holway.

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