14 DAY TRIAL // Windows XP is living its last moments. Each boot is counting down to the operating system's death. 2008 will be synonymous with the end of XP's phase-out process. It is a bleak perspective for the operating system that has grown to be ubiquitous, but it's an illustration of what is to come. Windows XP will simply be phased out, and customer demand will not impact this process.
The expiration date for Windows XP is January 29, 2008, as far as original equipment manufacturers and retailers are concerned. January 29, 2008 is the official Microsoft direct OEM and retail license availability end date. The Redmond Company will no longer offer Windows XP either to OEMs or to the general public starting with February 2007.
After the end of January 2008, Windows XP will be accessible exclusively to System Builders, but only until January 29, 2009. The 2008 and 2009 end of availability dates concern Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Home Edition and all the editions of Windows XP Media Center Edition.
But the bottom line is that as 2008 draws near, Microsoft will alter the agreements with computer manufacturers to focus exclusively on Windows Vista. "The OEM version of XP Professional goes next January," said Frank Luburic, senior ThinkPad product manager for Lenovo for APC. "At that point, they'll have no choice."
Dell also managed to give an insight on XP's phasing out: "Dell recognizes the needs of small business customers and understands that more time is needed to transition to a new operating system.The plan is to continue offering Windows XP on select Dimension and Inspiron systems until later this summer. Dell does not have plans to launch Windows XP for home users as the preference and demand is for the "latest and greatest" technology which includes Windows Vista," reads an excerpt from Direct2Dell.
While consumers will no longer be able to acquire personal computers preloaded with Windows XP starting with February 2008, the operating system will not disappear. Not even close, and I am willing to guarantee this. The most obvious argument is the fact that you are still able to buy Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows XP SP1 even today.