You have been able to boot to desktop since Win8 release and you still can today.

Just set any Desktop app to always launch at startup, like Skype, Lync, etc. and when you machine starts it goes straight to desktop. If you do not have apps that have an auto-launch setting, you can do the same thing using any Desktop app, say explorer.exe assigned to Windows Task Schedule task that runs at logon.

You have also always been able to go straight to desktop by hitting the Enter key as long as the Desktop Tile is in the top left corner. Why, because on boot the point of focus for any screen is always the first object positioned at the top left. So, people are screaming about something they have always been able to do with Win8 and take the blink of an eye time to do it.

Try it!.
1 – Put the desktop tile to the top left, the first position.
2 – Reboot,
3 – logon, immediately it Enter again. (this key gets put in memory to act on the first thing it can)
Bang! you are on the desktop. No muss no fuss, and all you needed was you. And yeah, you can
You can fly out menus just like before by using the default or custom toolbars (right click the taskbar to get to them). You been able to do this since Win9x.

Bang! you are on the desktop. No code, no special settings, nothing else needed but you.

Hi,
Kiosk mode is the latest rumor that came after this information, and it is early to assume that. But remember, Microsoft hasn’t comment on most of the rumors around the web. Also keep in mind that everything can change by the time Microsoft ships Windows 8.1 Blue.

Thanks,