Microsoft has quietly updated the sales deadline of Windows
7 and Windows 8.1 pre-installed PCs. Now the manufacturers
won’t be allowed to sell these machines after 31st October,
2016.
According to the updated ‘Windows lifecycle fact sheet’,
OEMs have got one more year to sell PCs with Windows 7
and Windows 8.1. But after 31st October, 2016 they will only
be selling PCs with Windows 10, considering that the last
date for Windows 8 pre-installed PCs is also set for June 30,
2016. However, the Redmond giant will keep supporting
Windows 7 until January 14, 2020, and Windows 8.1 extended
support until January 10, 2023. To remind you, Windows 7
Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate were discontinued
in October 2014, and only the Windows 7 Professional version
is available through OEMs as of now.
Notably, the sales deadline for Windows 7 has come much
late than it was anticipated. Going by the Microsoft policy of
discontinuing sales for a particular Windows version after two
years of the next upgrade launch, this should have ended in
late October of 2014. But since the Windows 8 didn’t work in
favour of Microsoft, the deadline got extended and it is now
even 4 months later than the successor Windows 8 itself.
