Windows 7 Support To End By 2015

Microsoft has warned its customers that the end of support for the Windows 7 operating system is soon coming, the same way it came for the Windows XP operating system earlier this year. Microsoft will be ending free mainstream support for the Windows 7 OS on Jan 13, 2015, but the users of Windows 7 will be getting security updates until 2020. This move will largely affect the consumers. Businesses that pay for the extended Windows 7 support will be supported for another five years until Jan 14, 2020.

This is very much important as many businesses are right now in the process of upgrading their old Windows XP computers but they are moving to Windows 7, not to Windows 8. There are some speculations that given the popularity of the Windows 7 OS, Microsoft may change its mind as the date nears and may continue to support Windows 7 a bit longer as they had done for the Windows XP OS. Microsoft had supported the Windows XP operating system for about 13 years. This was confirmed after contacting the Microsoft support team.

It seems like Microsoft will not extend the support date this time. Windows 8 OS includes a full version of Windows 7, which is called as Desktop mode. With Windows 8.1, it is possible to run a Windows 8 computer in Desktop mode and almost avoid the new and confusing Windows 8 part of the operating system. Microsoft really has to nudge users into buying Windows 8 computers. More Windows 8 computers means that more developers will wish to develop software for the Windows 8. This will make more and more users want to buy the OS.

Windows 7 operating system has been a great source of income for Microsoft Corporation. This operating system has a very good market share even now and it is much liked by its users, unlike the Windows 8 OS. Let us hope that Microsoft will provide a period of extended support for the Windows 7 operating system, after the end of mainstream support.

By the way, Microsoft has also set an end of support for the Windows 8 OS also. The end of mainstream support date for the Windows 8 Os is Jan 9, 2018. After this date, Windows 8 may enter the extended support period. This can be considered as another hint that Microsoft may have its next version of Windows in 2015, code named Threshold. If you wish to know more on this news, you can contact our Microsoft support number.