Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 7 sales have ended. Their updated lifecycle fact sheet shows that sales of Windows 7 OS retail box editions has ended, however no fixed date has been given for PCs shipped with pre-installed copies of the OS. There was some confusion as Microsoft had initially posted that PCs shipped with preinstalled OS would also cease in October 2014; however this has now been corrected as the below chart shows.
So for the time being PCs with pre installed software will be available, but no more retail boxes of Windows 7 will be shipped by Microsoft. If your organisation is staying with the OS, now would be a good time to upgrade while stocks last.
| Client operating systems and updates
Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate |
Date of general availability
October 22, 2009 |
Retail software end of sales *
October 31, 2013 |
End of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled
October 31, 2014 |
| Client operating systems and updates
Windows 7 Professional |
Date of general availability
October 22, 2009 |
Retail software end of sales *
October 31, 2013 |
End of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled
Not yet established ** |
| Client operating systems and updates
Windows 8 |
Date of general availability
October 26, 2012 |
Retail software end of sales *
October 31, 2014 |
End of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled
Not yet established |
| Client operating systems and updates
Windows 8.1 |
Date of general availability
October 18, 2013 |
Retail software end of sales *
Not yet established |
End of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled
Not yet established |
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