Microsoft Product Roadmap for etc. Developers download these versions to discover exciting new features and enhancements. Partner companies have a look at these betas to find out what it holds for their business. Customers or end users also want to get their hands on these betas to see their software upgrade options.

When a final product is released in the market, everyone wants to have their hands on the evaluation versions. The companies start the budgeting process to buy new licenses and decide on deadlines to upgrade these software and their respective applications.

Like any previous years, current year (YR 2012) is as exciting or as I see much more exciting. Below are the list of software and their versions getting released this year:

1) Windows 8 for Desktop

Windows 8 is the upcoming version of Microsoft Windows that follows Windows 7. It features a new Windows 8 UI that is designed for touchscreen input. It also adds support for the ARM processor architecture in addition to the previously supported x86 microprocessors from Intel and AMD.

Below is the start screen in Windows 8. The Windows 8 UI (it is same as what I see on my XBOX 360 or on Windows mobile smartphones) and it has a Beautiful, Fast and Fluid Design.

The New Windows 8 Start Screen

2) Windows Server 8

Windows Server 8 is the codename for a future server operating system being developed by Microsoft. It is the server version of Windows 8 and the successor to Windows Server 2008 R2. Like all of its predecessors, it introduces new features or improves on existing ones, like a new user interface. Windows Server 8 will be the first version of Windows Server to have no support for Itanium-based computers since Windows NT 4.0.

Server Manager in Windows Server 8

3) System Center 2012

System Center 2012 helps you manage your IT environments across traditional datacenters, private and public clouds, client computers, and devices. Using these integrated and automated management capabilities, you can become a trusted service provider for your business. System Center captures and aggregates knowledge about systems, policies, processes, and best practices so that you can optimize your infrastructure to reduce costs, improve application availability, and enhance service delivery.

System Center 2012 provides comprehensive management from the desktop to the datacenter.

4) CRM 2011 will be Multi Browser Compatible

Microsoft is committed towards the betterment of its flagship Dynamics product, CRM 2011. The commitment is shown in its 6 weekly roll ups and half-yearly service updates.

CRM Anywhere - Q2 2012 Service Update for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 provides the ability for end users to access the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Web Client across all modern Internet browsers on various platforms. This includes browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari running on PC, Apple Macintosh or iPad.

5) Dynamics ERP Online

The ERP products will follow the example of Dynamics CRM Online, which in the 2011 edition shipped slightly ahead of its twin on-premises version. The first of the ERP products to launch with a cloud version will be Dynamics NAV, code-named "NAV 7".

6) SQL Server 2012

SQL Server 2012 Code Name "Denali" is a significant product release that will help us to build and support mission critical environments. New tools and enhancements enable breakthrough insight across all levels of the organization while cloud-ready technologies for application symmetry across server, private and public cloud help stay agile for the future.

7) Internet Explorer 10

“Experience a more beautiful web”, is the punch line you see when you download Microsoft Internet Explorer 9. For Internet Explorer 10, this punch line can be changed to include HTML5.

Internet Explorer 10 will set high standards for other browsers in this so called browser war involving Safari, Chrome and Firefox. IE 10 has many enhancements over the current version IE9. IE 10 consumer preview comes with Windows 8 consumer preview. I would suggest that you try IE 10 in the Windows 8 environment. That way you can feel the new Windows 8 UI.

8) IIS 8

IIS 8 is the future version of IIS 7.5 (the current released version). It is part of Windows 8 and Windows 8 Server. IIS 8 has many enhancements over its predecessor IIS 7.5. You can install Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Windows 8 Server Beta to play around with IIS 8.

9) .NET Framework 4.5

The .NET Framework is an integral Windows component that supports building and running the next generation of applications and web services. The key components of the .NET Framework are the common language runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework class library, which includes ADO.NET, ASP.NET, Windows Forms, and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). The .NET Framework provides a managed execution environment, simplified development and deployment, and integration with a wide variety of programming languages. The .NET Framework 4.5 Beta is available for building Windows 8 apps for Windows by using C# or Visual Basic.

10) Team Foundation Server 11

By using the suite of tools in Visual Studio 11 Beta, and combining those tools with Visual Studio Team Foundation Server, you can apply proven practices to manage your application's lifecycle, from understanding customer needs through code design and implementation to deployment. You can use the instrumentation in these tools to trace requirements to checked-in code, builds and test results. These practices can help your team create software that is valued by your customers and that is faster and more reliable.

Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 11 Beta

11) Microsoft Office 15

Microsoft Office 15 sports a revamped application interface; the interface is based on the Windows 8 UI, the interface of Windows Phone and Windows 8. Microsoft Outlook has received the most pronounced changes so far; for example, the Windows 8 UI enables users to have access to a new visualization for scheduled tasks. PowerPoint will include more templates and transition effects, and OneNote will include a new splash screen. On May 16, 2011, new images of Office 15 were revealed, showing Excel with a tool for filtering data in a timeline, the ability to convert Roman numerals to Arabic numerals, and the integration of advanced trigonometric functions. In Word, the capability of inserting video and audio online as well as the broadcasting of documents on the Web were implemented. Microsoft has promised support for Open Office XML Strict starting with version 15, a format Microsoft has submitted to the ISO for interoperability with other office suites, and to aid adoption in the public sector.

As of January 30 2012, Microsoft has released a private technical preview of Office 15. It has been announced from Microsoft that a public beta of Office 15 will be available in the summer.

12) Windows Phone "Tango" and "Apollo"

Despite speculation that Tango would be the next major upgrade after Mango, it appears the update will be a minor interim advancement. According to Microsoft, Windows Phone 8 Apollo will be the next major update following Mango, though the company remained hush on any details regarding the platform.

The focus of Tango will be on developing countries, like China and India. Windows Phone Tango is the platform refresh expected to land by mid-2012 aiming to bring Windows Phone to the masses.

Tango will be called Windows Phone 7.5.1 and it will mark a shift in Microsoft's policy. Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) followed by Windows Phone 8 (Apollo) will coexist with Tango, thus creating a fragmentation.

13) Visual Studio 11

This release of Visual Studio 11 suite of products should take development a level up and will make development much more exciting.

Visual Studio 11 Ultimate Beta

I hope this blog about ‘Microsoft Product Roadmap for Year 2012’ was informative. Please feel free to leave your comments.