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Microsoft may keep selling box copies of Windows 7 after all

Published Dec 9th, 2013 4:15PM EST
Microsoft Windows 7 Retail Sales

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Calm down, Windows 8 haters: You may not have to rush out to scoop up Windows 7 after all. Microsoft caused a stir last week when it announced that it had already stopped selling box copies of Windows 7 and that it had instructed its manufacturing partners to stop using Windows 7 on new PCs by October 30th, 2014. Now Network World has noticed that Microsoft has backtracked on its Windows life cycle page and now says that sales of both Windows 7 and new Windows 7 PCs will only end at a date “to be determined.” Windows 7 extended support is still scheduled to last through January 14th, 2020.

Windows 8 has had a bumpy ride over its first year as its growth has seemingly stalled and Windows 7 adoption is still growing at a faster pace than Windows 8 adoption. Although Microsoft hasn’t given a reason yet for changing the cutoff dates for Windows 7 sales, it wouldn’t be surprising if the company got some intense push-back from corporate customers who don’t yet feel comfortable making the upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 8 and would prefer for now to stick with the more familiar-feeling Windows 7.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.