Windows XP just refuses to die, it seems. As the operating system's seventh birthday looms, Microsoft may have decided to let PC makers bundle it with their systems until next summer.
Microsoft pulled Windows XP from most desktops and notebooks on June 30, but as The Reg reports, it said PC makers could offer Vista together with an XP "downgrade" until January 31, 2009. Now, The Reg quotes an anonymous tipster as saying that Microsoft has extended that deadline to July 31, 2009. An "email sent to the employees of one OEM" suggests Microsoft partners are pushing to extend that deadline even further, too.
At this rate, Windows XP could still be kicking around when Windows 7 shows up. As we reported early this morning, a recent AMD presentation slide hints at a 2009 release for Windows 7, and certain reports point to a "release to manufacturing" date in early June of next year.
