Microsoft on Wednesday announced that its next-generation operating system tailored for a world shifting from personal computers to smartphones and tablets will be available on October 26. Windows unit boss Steven Sinofsky revealed the Windows 8 debut date at a sales meeting, Microsoft communications manager Brandon LeBlanc said in a blog post. Windows 8 will be available in 109 languages across 231 markets worldwide, according to LeBlanc. Microsoft has promised to make the new operating system available in August for computer, tablet or smartphone makers to build into hardware. It "is simply the biggest deal for this company in at least 17 years," Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer said last week, referring to the time since the launch of the game-changing Windows 95 operating system.