According to his sources, there are some big UI changes that reflect the new strategy of “Windows Everywhere”, an internal catchphrase that represents the company’s push for vertical compatibility across all form factors, from tiny embedded systems to large data centers. The new UI will feature a tile-based layout that will be able to adapt across form factors and specifications, leading towards a more streamlined and ubiquitous experience in general. Think Windows Phone 7, but much more robust and suited to desktops and tablets as well as the smaller embedded devices.

Another possible innovation to look forward to is an application infrastructure codenamed “Jupiter.” Jupiter is a compromise between web apps and desktop apps, wherein Silverlight functionality is bundled with standalone windows applications, and takes the suffix of *.appx. This new platform looks like it will pave the way for a Windows Application marketplace long rumored to be part of the Windows 8 featureset.