Report: Windows 7 to Hit RTM on July 13

Windows 7 will be in stores on October 22 – that much we're sure of. But the fact is that the next generation of Windows isn't officially finished yet. Microsoft is still putting on the finishing touches before passing off a final gold master that ultimately kick-starts a whole new wave of Windows.

According to various reports on the web from Geeksmack and Neowin, sources close to Microsoft can supposedly confirm that Windows 7 is set to hit its RTM (release to manufacturing) milestone on July 13. It's unlikely that Microsoft will confirm any of this information until after the milestone is hit (in case there is some type of show stopper bug) so we'll just have to wait and see.

Hitting RTM will allow Microsoft to disseminate the final version of Windows to its computer-making partners for even broader testing and integration, with the goal of having all OEMs ready to sell Windows 7-loaded computers on October 22.