Final answer:
The compatibility of application software with new versions of the operating system can be described as upward compatibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term used to describe the compatibility of application software with new versions of the operating system is upward compatibility. Upward compatibility means that the software can run on newer versions of the operating system without any issues. However, it is worth noting that not all application software is upwardly compatible, which means that it may not run on new versions of the operating system.
For example, if you have an older version of a software program and you upgrade your operating system to a newer version, there is a chance that the software may not work properly or may not work at all. In such cases, the user would need to either upgrade the software or find an alternative that is compatible with the new operating system.