X
Tech

Microsoft Build 2018 developer conference to return to Seattle May 7 to May 9

It's official. Microsoft's annual Build developer conference is in Seattle again this year, and will go head-to-head with Google's I/O developer show.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor
buildreg2018.jpg
(Image: Microsoft)

Microsoft's first major conference of 2018 -- its Build 2018 developers conference -- will be back in Seattle this year, from May 7 to May 9.

Microsoft held Build in Seattle at the Washington State Convention Center last May after hosting the event in San Francisco for the previous several years. Before last year, Microsoft had held Build in Seattle once previously -- a rainy November 2012.

The current Build 2018 page does not specify exactly where in Seattle the show will be held.

Update: But the Build registration page does: Build 2018 will be at the Washington State Convention Center again. (Thanks for the find, Neowin's Rich Woods.)

Twitter user The Walking Cat (@h0x0d) posted on Feb. 6 a slide with the alleged new Build dates. I asked Microsoft officials to confirm -- but they would not. However, the updated Build 2018 page is live now. So, it's official that The Cat was right again. (Thanks to Rich Woods from Neowin for the tip-off.)

Google's annual I/O developer conference is scheduled for May 8 to May 10 in Mountain View, Calif., this year. Rumors have been swirling that Microsoft was planning to host Build that same week.

As customary, Microsoft isn't expected to share any information on the planned topics to be covered at this point. Build 2018 registration will open Feb. 15. Once registration opens, developers will be able to go to http://build.microsoft.com to register. The full conference pass is going for $2,495.

Microsoft will already have started rolling out Windows 10 Redstone 4 (slated to be available around April 2018 or so) by the time Build 2018 convenes. Maybe we'll hear some early info about Redstone 5, due to roll out around October 2018 at the event. I'd assume Progressive Web Apps support in Windows 10 will be a hot topic. And perhaps Build 2018 also will be where Microsoft goes public about what it's doing under the Windows covers with its Windows Core OS (a.k.a. AndromedaOS) and composable shell work.

Microsoft will likely be banging the AI drum at the event, as well, so talks on cognitive services and Cortana could figure prominently on the agenda.

Microsoft's annual partner conference, Microsoft Inspire, will be in Las Vegas from July 15 to July 19 this year. Microsoft's IT pro conference, Microsoft Ignite, will be in Orlando again this year, from Sept. 24 to Sept. 28.

Microsoft also seems to be back to endorsing some smaller, more targeted conferences, such as the upcoming SharePoint Conference NA ,which is May 21 to May 23 in Las Vegas.

Editorial standards