Windows 8.1 shipping to OEMs in August

Microsoft's CMO and CFO Tami Reller has confirmed the Windows 8.1 update will start rolling out to OEMs in late August, as the firm looks to bolster the functionality of the revamped operating system.

"I'm also quite happy to be able to confirm today that Windows 8.1 will be available for our OEM partners in late August. Meaning that holiday devices, many of them will have Windows 8.1," Reller told the 15,000 attendees at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in Houston.

Reller was also keen to reinforce that users who purchase devices before Windows 8.1 ships as standard will not miss out on the benefits.

"[We'll] even do a prompt so that it's easy to know when it's [Windows 8.1] available... And that means that people can buy with confidence, knowing that there's a lot of value coming in just a few short months."

Despite mixed reviews for the operating system and the head of Windows division resigning after the launch of Windows 8, the firm is unsurprisingly putting a brave face on things.

Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft told attendees the firm has delivered on its promise on a fantastic product lineup.

"Of course, this was also the year of 8, Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8. And Windows 8 was nothing short of the most remarkable re-platforming of Windows basically since 1995. And we've gotten a lot of feedback on Windows 8," he said during his keynote.

"I think we did a heck of a good job on Windows 8, and we're going to spend a lot of time today also talking about Windows 8.1, because we listened and we learned, and as good as Windows 8 is I would just encourage you to really take a look at Windows 8.1.

"It really speaks to the feedback that we've gotten. It builds on the exciting new user interface, the embrace of new platforms, the new programming model. But we've also suggested the feedback that we've gotten from people on how it works in the enterprise, what we need for serious desktop users, and I think you'll be incredibly impressed by the work on Windows 8.1."