Is this the new Windows 9 logo?

It's not all that long since Microsoft released Windows 8, a radical rethink of its operating system that aims to bring the mobile, tablet and desktop experience together and had consumers all round the world screaming: "Where's the start button?"

Windows 8 is currently on version 8.1, and there's certainly been no official word about a Windows 9 successor yet. So the company's Chinese branch may have put its foot in it with a post on popular social site Sina Weibo – which has since been removed.

The post, which was spotted by Chinese site Cnbeta, contained the revealing question: "Microsoft's latest OS Windows 9 is coming soon, do you think the start menu at the left bottom will make a come back?" and contained the logo shown above.

It's a clear evolution of the current Windows 8 logo (see below), using a lighter font, retaining the same colour scheme and losing the Windows icon, instead extending the pattern to form part of the '9'.

Rumours are swirling round the internet that Microsoft will officially announce Windows 9 on 30 September – you can find a round-up of what's likely to be in it here. So we'll no doubt find out then whether this logo is the official one or just a random mockup.

Do you think this is the logo Microsoft should use? Let us know your views in the comments.

[via The Verge]