XP SP3 No More OEM Pre-Installs, Windows 7 Becomes Only Option

Microsoft is slowly phasing Windows XP out as all the focus is now on Windows 7. In just a little over four months, customers will no longer be able to buy new computers preinstalled to XP SP3. Fact is that after the launch of Windows 7 the number of XP machines dropped dramatically, and today, although some computers are still up for sale, they represent the exception confirming the rule that Windows 7 has all but become the only option for customers. Still, the sole computers preinstalled with XP SP3 still available are netbooks, as Microsoft only served Windows XP Home Edition to OEMs for their Ultra Low-Cost PCs.

“As announced in April 2008 - as of October 22, 2010, OEMs will no longer be able to pre-install Windows XP Home on new netbook PCs. However for a majority of our customers, they may not notice much change; many PC makers have already been actively manufacturing and selling a broad set of Windows 7 netbooks since Windows 7 released in October, 2009. In fact, according to NPD’s Retail Tracking Service, by April 2010, 81% of netbook units sold at retail in the US came with Windows 7 pre-installed,” revealed Brandon LeBlanc, Windows Communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team.

With Windows 7 a smashing success for Microsoft, customers are bound to let go of XP a lot easier now than compared to a year ago, when the only other viable alternative in terms of Windows platforms, was Windows Vista. Microsoft had stopped offering XP to OEMs for plain vanilla computers and through retail channels on June 30, 2008. As of January 31, 2009, System Builders were also no longer able to grab XP licenses for installation on their new computers.

“I would also like to remind people who are still running Windows XP that as of July 13th, 2010, Windows XP SP2 will also reach the end of support. You will need to install the latest service pack available (Windows XP Service Pack 3) via the Microsoft Update website or look at moving to Windows 7 to be running a supported version of Windows. Support for Windows XP Service Pack 3 will continue through April 2014,” LeBlanc added.