Weekend Wrap-Up: Microsoft Announces Windows 10; iPad Event Could Happen on Oct. 16


Happy Sunday! This is the Weekend Wrap-Up, where we run through the top stories of the past week in in order to get you caught up. Companies making big news this week include Microsoft, Apple, Google and Facebook. Let’s get to it!

Microsoft Announces Windows 10

Wow, Windows 9 must have been developed and released so quickly that we all missed it, right? Well, that’s not exactly the case. Microsoft’s latest retail operating system is Windows 8.1, but the company is completely skipping a number for the next-gen version of its OS, opting instead to call it Windows 10. Microsoft states the name will appear “more appropriate” when we get a look at the OS, though I’m not sure how the OS will be upgraded to the point where it’s worth jumping over an entire number. Then again, this is the company that went from the Xbox to the Xbox 360 to the Xbox One; logic isn’t something Microsoft applies to product names, apparently.

iPad Event Reportedly Happening on October 16

We got those spiffy new iPhones — now who’s ready to make the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina obsolete? According to sources, Apple will reportedly hold its annual iPad event in just a few weeks on October 16. That gives you a little bit of time to start saving up on what will probably be the next-generation models of the iPad Air and iPad mini. We also may get a first look at the heavily rumored iPad Pro, which some believe will be a much larger iPad aimed at power users who want something that comes a bit closer to a full desktop computing experience. We’ll keep you up to date if we learn more.

Nexus 6 Could Be Enormous

If you’ve long had dreams of a Nexus phone that is gigantic — think 5.9 inches of display — then those dreams just might come true with the Nexus 6. Leaked photos seem to suggest that the device is going to jump up significantly in size, entering territory that our own Brian Rubin calls “comically large.” And it’s true — 5.9 inches is darn near 6 inches, which is a mere inch away from full-blown tablet size. Lop one inch of display off of the Nexus 7 tablet and that’s about how big the Nexus 6 could be. Comically. Large. Are these leaks accurate? Do they indeed show the coming Nexus 6 smartphone? We could find out sometime this fall.

Facebook to Jump into Healthcare Market

Probably our weirdest headline of the week has to do with Facebook’s interest in the healthcare market. Yes, the company that already knows more about you than you’d like to admit is interested in keeping you healthier. A little creepy, eh? A lot of Facebook’s focus in the area will have to do with building communities around people who are experiencing the same health issues. Facebook will then expand into what it’s calling “preventative care” applications that will help people lead healthier lifestyles. We don’t have news on integration with wearables like those from Fitbit and Jawbone just yet, but it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility.

Thanks for stopping by — we hope you have a great week!