If you missed it: Nokia acquisition, more Surface news, and Windows 9 rumors

Sunday has rolled around again, so it’s time to take a look back at the last seven days and take stock of everything that has happened — and there has been quite a lot going on this week. Windows 8.1 Update may not have been available for long, but there are already rumors about Windows 8.1 Update 2 and even Windows 9! Whether the follow up to Update ends up being called Update 2 or Windows 8.2, but there is the possibility that Windows 9 will be made available free of charge, and there is the potential return of the Start menu to look forward to in Update 2 which we could see as early as August — some of these features can be added now, of course.

There are some exciting times ahead for fans of Windows Phone, and it’s possible that there could be some handsets that could be operated without touching them. Perhaps Windows Phone will become the theremin of the phone world but whatever happens, it’s clear that the only way is up. In the meantime, Windows Phone 8.1 is going down well!

Microsoft’s acquisition of the devices and service arm of Nokia finally reached its conclusion. There was a little bump in the road at the Chennai factory, and HTC even expressed interest in buying it — but this amounted to nothing. Microsoft gave developers an idea of what to expect now the deal has been done. Questions still surround what will happen with the Nokia X family, but Stephen Elop is one of the many people who have great expectations for what’s to come from the Microkia deal.

Need some more rumors to keep you going? How about the mysterious Surface Mini case that appeared online suggesting that a smaller version of the Surface could be released soon. In the meantime, the Surface 2 still has a great deal to offer. If you’re thinking about buying one, a new video tour gives you an opportunity to learn about the device, while a new ad campaign shows off the versatility of the tablet-cum-laptop.

That’s your lot for this week. Another busy week ahead in which we’ll keep you up to date with all of the latest news!