Windows 8 Consumer Preview to launch this month.

Microsoft has announced that the “Consumer Preview” will launch at this years Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 29. The fact that it is launching at the MWC suggests the operating system will be closely linked to the future of the Windows Phone mobile operating system.

Like the Developer Preview of Windows 8 which launched last September, the Consumer Preview will be a free download to anyone interested. Windows 8 is likely to be released towards the end of 2012.

Not only will Windows Phone 8 share the same Metro style user interface as Windows 8 for tablets and PCs, but developers can reuse the same code for both operating systems. It’s not clear if Microsoft plans to discuss its Windows Phone 8 plans, but a Windows 8 Consumer Preview launch at Mobile World Congress makes it look that way.