Deadline For Windows XP Sales Extended 5 Months

Due to customer feedback, the deadline for retailers and computer makers to continue selling Windows XP has been extended 5 months. The latest Windows XP discontinue date has been moved from January 30, 2008 to June 30, 2008. (Source: Seattle PI)

Why?

Well, it seems very few consumers want Windows Vista as their operating system (OS) of choice, and Microsoft is finally starting to get it.

Retailers and the major computer makers got the ok from Microsoft to sell all versions of Windows XP until it's discontinued June 30, 2008 with the exception of the XP Starter Edition (which isn't available in the United States) which will sell until June 30, 2010. Smaller system builders will still be allowed to sell Windows XP until January 20, 2009. At least, that's the plan for now.

Despite the lukewarm reception for Windows Vista from the public, Kevin Kutz, a Windows client marketing director, says "we're absolutely pleased with the uptake of Vista, but we were hearing we were a little ambitious in thinking a year would be enough for the transition from XP." Microsoft acknowledged the extension in a press release.

According to Microsoft, 40 million copies of Windows Vista sold within its first 100 days versus 20 million copies of Windows XP in its first 100 days. Those numbers are skewed by a much greater number of PCs on the market in 2006 than in 2001.

Total dollar volume from sales of boxed versions of Windows Vista for the first 7 months it was available was 41.5 percent below the dollar volume from sales of boxed version sales of Windows XP during its first 7 months. The number of boxed copies of Windows Vista sold was almost 60 percent lower than the number of boxed copies of Windows XP sold in the same time period according to NPD research.

Intense system requirements by the OS, hardware and peripheral device driver problems and software incompatibility issues are just a few of the things that continue to give Windows Vista such a bad reputation. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the the discontinue date deadline gets extended again.

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