Every graying movie franchise needs a great sequel to give it a boost. Think Star Trek and James Bond. Operating systems are no different—especially Microsoft’s. After receiving a critical beatdown for Windows 8, what does the company have up its sleeve for Windows 9?

It’s too early to call Windows 8 either a success or a failure, but it’s never too soon to ask what’s next, particularly in connection with a rumored mid-2013 update dubbed “Windows Blue.” Microsoft will have to pull off a tricky balancing act with its next version of Windows: It must satisfy its existing base of users while transitioning from the old desktop paradigm to the new touch-first interface. As matters stands, there’s definitely room for improvement.

Microsoft declined to answer questions about how it might build on Windows in the future. So we’ve done some brainstorming—with the help of a few trusty experts—to imagine potential ways forward.

Kill the desktop

With Windows 8, Microsoft demoted the desktop user interface. Instead of being the main attraction when you turn on your PC, it’s just one app among many on the new “modern-style” Start screen. The fact that Windows 8 is essentially two operating systems in one has given impetus to some interesting hybrid devices such as Surface Pro, but it has also drawn jeers from critics who find the desktop-versus-Start screen dichotomy jarring and confusing.

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