If you have been hoping, dreaming, wishing, that Windows Blue - which is set to (unofficially) arrive in the Summer of 2013 - would bring back the Start button, you may want to take a seat. According to a new report from CNbeta, who has leaked quite a bit of Windows 8 information previously, they are stating that Windows Blue will not bring the Start button back to Windows 8.

This should not come as a surprise as Microsoft would have a massive egg on it's face if it did cave to users requests to return the iconic button. But beyond not brining back the Start button, the source is also saying that Microsoft will continue to make tweaks to the desktop and that there will be updates to the taskbar too. What these tweaks are or will include were not stated. In addition to tweaks, the entire UI will appear flattened (think metro), the kernel will get updated to 6.3 (which we had previously heard) and will be provided free or at a very affordable price.

With flatter look being applied to more parts of the UI, all aspects of Aero will be killed off completely with Windows Blue, according to the source.

While we wait for more details to leak out about what Microsoft has up its sleeve for Windows Blue, we have been hearing whispers that it will not be called Windows 9, as some reports have previously suggested and will likely retain the Windows 8 moniker.

With a Summer launch expected, we should hear from Microsoft, relatively soon about the plans it has for Windows Blue and how Redmond will transition to annual updates for one of its largest revenue generating entities.

Source: CNbeta