Windows 7: Release Date

We finally have it!

Microsoft have committed to a release date for Windows 7.

That date is October 22, 2009!

From PCWorld:

It's official: Windows 7 will make its debut on October 22. Microsoft confirmed the late-October launch date with PC World, details of which leaked out earlier today.

Windows 7 development should finish up in July, at which time it will be released to manufacturing. The October 22 date will be a full retail rollout, although pricing has yet to be announced.

There were some rumblings of an October launch in late April. Microsoft's initial target release date was in January 2010, but the company did confirm last month that Windows 7 would make its debut this year, before the holiday shopping season.

Windows 7 will come roughly 33 months after Windows Vista's January 2007 release. This compares with Windows Vista's five-year gestation period (Windows XP made its debut in late 2001).

From Information Week:

A Microsoft spokesperson on Tuesday said the company will release its highly anticipated Windows 7 operating system for sale to the general public on Oct. 22, in time for the crucial holiday shopping season.

"I can finally confirm Windows 7 timing," the spokesperson said in an e-mail to InformationWeek, noting the Oct. 22 release date. The spokesperson also said the company is launching a program called Windows Upgrade Option that will allow customers who bought Vista-powered PCs to upgrade to Windows 7.

Such upgrade programs are generally meant to convince consumers not to hold off purchasing PCs during the time period between when a new product is announced and when it's actually available.

From PCMag:

Windows 7 is scheduled for an October 22 release, Microsoft confirmed Tuesday.

Microsoft will also provide a "tech guarantee" upgrade option for those using older versions of the Windows operating system.

The release to manufacturers (RTM) is expected in late July, a spokesman said.

Steve Guggenheimer, vice president of Microsoft's OEM division, is expected to provide more details during a Wednesday morning keynote at Computex in Taipei. Microsoft will also post additional information on its Web site after the speech.

There you have it.

At Windows7update.com, we'll continue to bring you the hottest news about Windows 7 as soon as it happens.