Update: Windows 9 is now known as Windows 10. Want to know more about when you can get your hands on it? Check out our in-depth Windows 10 release date page

Rumour has it that Microsoft will not only release a second update to Windows 8.1 later this year, but will also offer the next iteration, Windows 9, for free (or at a substantial discount).

That's according to a blog post by Russian hacker group WZOR, which reckons that those who have already purchased Windows 8.2 (or Windows 8.1 Update 2) could be in for a treat, but the decision hasn't yet been finalised at Microsoft HQ.

There's also talk of being able to disable Metro (or Modern UI) 2.0 on Windows 9 Enterprise version, a move that may well have been prompted by business users.

Decision time

Microsoft is rumoured to be currently holding a big internal event during which major decisions will be taken regarding the future of Windows.

The last titbit that WZOR mentioned in its post is the fact that Microsoft is cracking down on leaks with the Chinese office being targeted. Microsoft employees wishing to test future versions of Windows will apparently get one crafted for each individual.

Apple shook up the OS boat in 2013 when it announced that OS X 10.9 Mavericks would be released as a free download for OS X 10.8 users, marking the first free release of OS X.