Microsoft is launching the first free version of its Windows operating system, it announced on Wednesday (21 January).

Windows 10 is the tech giant’s first OS update in two years. The new version will be made free for the first year for users of Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone.

It is expected that the company will release the software later this year, but no specific date has been given yet.

In addition to this, Microsoft revealed that Windows 10 will bring its voice-controlled digital assistant Cortana to PCs.

In a blog post, Terry Myerson, Microsoft’s executive vice president of operating systems explained the company’s new focus on mobile: “Windows 10 is the first step to an era of more personal computing.

“This vision framed our work on Windows 10, where we are moving Windows from its heritage of enabling a single device – the PC – to a world that is more mobile, natural and grounded in trust. We believe your experiences should be mobile – not just your devices.”

In addition to this, Microsoft is saying goodbye to its outdated browser Internet Explorer and replacing it with a new, stripped-down successor that has been codenamed “Project Spartan.”

The new browser will be a part of the Windows 10 update and supports pen interactions so that people can use their fingers or styluses to mark websites. Cortana will also be integrated into the browser.

The system will have the ability to stream Xbox One video games from the console to any other Window’s 10 PC or tablet device using the same Wi-Fi network.

Another announcement that has created much hype among the tech community was “Windows Holographic”, a system built into Windows 10 that allows the integration of holographic representations.

The system will work with the company’s HoloLens glasses, allowing Windows 10 users to interact with holograms. However, executives would not comment on the pricing during a Q&A at the launch.