Windows 8 RTM to Hit in July 2011
While we're all basking in the warm, sunny glow of Windows 7, it's no secret that Microsoft is already working on Windows 8. However, a recent roadmap shows that the next iteration of Windows could arrive sooner than you think.
Late last year a roadmap shown at PDC 2009 revealed Windows 8 would see a "~2012" release. While that little tilde before 2012 had us believing it would be more like the first half of 2013 and Microsoft was just affording itself some wiggle-room, it looks like we'll see the OS sooner than 2012.
A former Microsoft employee by the name of Chris Green recently posted a visual graph detailing Microsoft's product lifecycle index. As msftkitchen points out, this graph contains an awful lot of information that can already be found from Microsoft's Support Lifecycle Index. However, Green has mentioned some things that aren't listed on the MS Lifecycle Index; namely dates for Windows 8, Windows 8 Server and Office 15.
Green's graph have Windows 8 RTM down for July 1, 2011, with mainstream support from July 1, 2011 to July 1, 2016 and extended support from 2016 to July, 2021.
Office 15 is pegged for a July 2, 2012 RTM; mainstream support from 2012 to June 30, 2017 and extended support from July 3, 2017 to July 5, 2022.
Green has Microsoft Server 8 down for the same dates. So that's a July 2, 2012 RTM with mainstream support from 2012 to June 30, 2017 and extended support from July 3, 2017 to July 5, 2022.
Green left Microsoft on January 12, at least, that's when he blogged about his leaving Microsoft. However, the update that has everyone talking was posted on December 9, presumably while he was still a Redmond employee.
You can view his roadmap here (PDF warning).
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hopefully win8 will be strictly x64
Here's more news: Windows 9 RTM to Hit in July 2013.
Related news: Windows 8 RTM Delayed to October 2013.
More Related news: Windows 9 RTM to Hit in October 2014.
Honestly, who cares?
What the hell for? Don't they ever learn? You can't shorten the lifecycle of an OS! There is a minimum time period where you will not get anyone willing to upgrade.
Sweet, now I can just hop Beta to Beta w/o ever buying!
I don't see it lasting as long as they say, seeing how Windows 7 is basically new and they are talking about July next year for Windows 8, then what Windows 9 in 2012, and so on. Boy-oh-boy
actually alot of people el capitan, if 8 brings full utilization to x64 im all for it cause then you can actually use full processor support for most everything
While I understand every product has a life-cycle, my point of view is that you gather feedback of your product to better prepare the next one. What could they possibly working on now? They claim 7 is the best Windows so far. While I won't argue with that, what do they intend to put in 8 that they didn't put in 7 in the first place? Are they suggesting they rushed out an unfinished product?
Unless applications can fully utilize a 64 bit environment, who cares whether the OS is 64 bit? I have no doubt it will still come in both flavors. Honestly, what does Win8 being strictly 64 bit buy you?
I can't see people upgrading so soon. Getting people to give up XP was like pulling teeth, can't see them jumping on the bandwagon so soon.
It's great Microsoft wants to introduce new bells and whistles and whatnot, but come on!
Seriously, damn near every reader of this site and then some most likely knows that Win7 is really an over-glorified SP for Vista. Hell, it comes up as Windows 6.1!
I hate to say it, but they should take the Mac road. Make a major update with all sorts of improvements and new features, and make it available as an update for a nominal fee (i.e $29 or so). I would've paid $29 for Win 6.1...
Great.. I will hang on to my XP for another two years then (why waste $100+ for a product that is going to be replaced in a years time, when what I have now gets the job done perfectly OK)
What the hell for? Don't they ever learn? You can't shorten the lifecycle of an OS! There is a minimum time period where you will not get anyone willing to upgrade.
so Microsoft should wait for another 10 years like they did with vista to come out with a new OS so they can have another flop
FAIL
All the next windows OS version will have is better integrations with it's next version of Office products, and next version of development products. You'll want Windows 8 because it provides the full benefits of Office 2010 and VS 2010. You'll want Windows 9 because it provides the full benefits of Office 2012 and VS 2012... etc.
I still have to test on Windows XP 32-bit OS's because most companies don't upgrade. Hell, most are still on IE 6 and Firefox 2. A lot of companies are also still using SQL Server 2005 and VS 2005. All Microsoft's goal is to get companies to start using their latest technologies, and to use their latest technologies, they want them all tied together so as to make more money. Capitalism at it's best.
Just because MS is releasing a New OS does not mean you have to adopt it.
I agree that an OS needs so called baking time...but why not keep moving forward. Just like hardware... I cant afford to upgrade every cycle.. but when that cycle has reached its maturity.. I jump on board.. Not only do i get a great deal.. but I have plenty of software (GAMES) to support it.
Keep moving forward .. sounds good to me.
To be honest I don't get this move at all. Windows7 being as popular as it is, and clearly still not at its peak of performance/compatibility (it took XP a while to earn its crown of glory), why the hell would MS even do this? It sort of devalues Windows7 because I eye this with a bit of suspicion as to why are they so eager to tell me that in a year I can use a new OS when I just paid for W7. I kinda goes against conventional wisdom. Do they (internally) view W7 as a failure? Is something inherently not right with it? What gives Microsoft?
I just want Windows 10, they should just skip 8 and 9.
OH so MSFT wants to milk the cow sooner.....
Sooner the consumer realises that he is just been milked, the better it is..
Any word on the Windows 8 128-bit version, which one of their senior engineers "accidentally" blogged about working on?
Unless applications can fully utilize a 64 bit environment, who cares whether the OS is 64 bit? I have no doubt it will still come in both flavors. Honestly, what does Win8 being strictly 64 bit buy you?
LOL - did you think of that before you wrote it because you actually answered your own question there! If MS puts out a dedicated x64 OS, you can bet your pants on the fact that the industry will react by following suit. It's almost like the "if you build it they will come" phenomenon.
Windows 8? When? How much? It's all about the cash for Microsoft. They know gov't and rich techies can't pass up the chance to upograde so they'll (MSFT) keep pumping it out for more sales, more profits, etc... Conventional wisdom? They're not loyal to principles or to the users, as long as they see a way for more profits, let's male a Windows OS every year!
It'll be a piece of shit, like vista was.
Just like vista was basically a pile of bloatware ontop of XP, so 8 will just be a bunch of bloatware on top of windows 7.
Windows 8 = Win 7 SP2?
Windows 9 = Win 7 SP3?
Some folks would argue that Win 7 is basically Vista SP4 anyhow. I guess if you chose to view it that way, Win 8 (the real next gen OS) could come out in 2011...
I do hope it becomes 64-bit only too. Most users wouldn't know or care about the difference anyway. Admittedly, we'll be forced to buy more RAM, but that's okay because RAM is getting cheaper and cheaper these days. The good thing I see in it is that it will force a standard to everyone. We will finally get rid of devices not having 64-bit drivers.
when does Windows X come out? or are they going to call it HD, or maybe gtx?
Microsoft at its greediest...
Everyone knows that Windows 7 is actually 6.1. It'll be weird to boot up Windows 8 and see kernal 7.0.xxxx.
This Green dude is screwed up. An OS update that includes a kernal update doesn't just happen that easily.
I think one has to identify what OS is?
If OS is foundation, then we have to separate it, the rest should be add-ins & add-ons. because the way i see it they want to integrate alot of things... can we identify it as a stand alone soft?
Are they bored or something ?
I hated going to Windows 7 from my beloved flawless XP64... Why Windows 8 so soon...
They are risking making another Windows Milenium and boy was that horrible.
Microsoft at its greediest...
Yeah, a company making a product... How f***d up is that ?
They are just trying to get in one more product cycle before the end of the world. Who can blame them?