As Microsoft inches closer towards the launch of its Windows 7 operating system, it remains unclear what will happen to the unpopular Windows Vista OS.
All Vista support will stop in April 2012, but it's very likely that sales of the OS will end much sooner than that.
It's possible Vista will be dropped immediately after Windows 7 begins shipping, although nothing has been confirmed by Microsoft. The Redmond-based company is "still not sure if (computer manufacturers) will be able to ship Vista once Windows 7 is made available," according to Microsoft General Manager Richard Francis.
Windows 7 could be released within months, and the Windows 7 Release Candidate is now available.
Vista, originally expected to replace Windows XP and remain available for years to come, was never a hit among consumers or businesses. Many people complained that Vista was simply too bloated and includes too many annoying security prompts that are not necessary for every day use.
"It's been a long time since we've had a version of Windows that will actually run better (than the previous version) on the hardware that most customers have," Microsoft VP of Windows product management Mike Nash said during a conference call.
If Windows 7 truly is months away from release, I have a hard time believing Microsoft will keep Vista around any longer than it needs to. The marketing push has already shifted away from Vista, and will continue to promote Windows 7 as the launch date comes closer.
Furthermore, Microsoft has received criticism for Vista on all sides, and most likely just wants consumers to forget about it as soon as possible.
