Microsoft has said the next version of its operating system used on most personal computers around the world will be called 'Windows Vista'.
The world's biggest software company stopped short of providing a launch date for the new version of Windows.
The first overhaul of the dominant computer operating system since Windows XP five years ago is expected to reach consumers sometime next year.
Microsoft, which developed the software under the codename 'Longhorn', expects to make the test version available to developers and tech professionals by August 3, it said in a statement.
The new software is expected to sport a new graphical interface, giving it a new look and feel, and enhanced security and communications features. The operating system, used on around 90 percent of personal computers, accounts for around a third of Microsoft's revenue.
On Thursday, Microsoft said its fiscal fourth-quarter net earnings jumped 37.5% to $3.7 billion, lifted by improved sales across a range of its products and a once-off tax gain.
