Windows 9 will indeed bring a lot of changes for users worldwide, but here’s something that nobody saw coming: the operating system could only work on 64-bit and 128-bit computers, which means that those with 32-bit hardware might not be able to run it.

While this is very, very unlikely given the fact that Microsoft wants and needs to make Windows 9 available to as many users as possible, reports published on the web these days claim that the company could actually focus on hardware which could make the operating system run faster and offer enhanced reliability and performance, so a 32-bit configuration might not be the best choice.

Microsoft hasn’t commented on Windows 9 rumors until now, but the company is expected to break the news on this project later this month during a press event scheduled for September 30.

A beta version of the operating system will also be released in early October, but the exact specifics of this preview will be unveiled during the September 30 event.

More controversy coming

If Microsoft indeed decides to make Windows 9 work only on 64- and 128-bit computers, there’s no doubt that the company would have to face another wave of criticism coming from those still owning 32-bit configurations that work just fine.

While statistics indicate that Windows 7 64-bit and Windows 8 64-bit installations are clearly dominating OS charts worldwide, there’s no doubt that users aren’t yet ready to give up on 32-bit configurations, so the company does not afford to make such a big change in Windows 9.

Rumors on such a change first appeared in 2012, but they have never been confirmed by a source close to the matter, so more information to set things straight in this saga would most likely arrive at the end of the month.

Microsoft could again force users to upgrade

If such a change is made, users might be again forced to upgrade their hardware, just like it happened when Windows 8 came out and everyone on Windows XP had to install the new OS due to end of support.

As you might recall, Microsoft was often criticized for this push for new hardware, so again, the company needs to think this out in a clever way if it wants Windows 9 to be a successful product.

The beta version of the operating system is expected to see daylight early next month, while the full stable product should be launched in early 2015, most likely in April.