Microsoft: Windows XP security updates provided until 2014

After the launch of Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, the previous generation operating system, Windows XP, will cease sales on June 30th this year. Many consumers are worried that Microsoft may also stop providing technical support services for Windows XP in the future. In response to this, Microsoft pointed out that free security updates for Windows XP will continue until 2014, and consumers do not need to worry about their operating system becoming obsolete.

After the release of the new Microsoft operating system, Vista, the sale of the previous generation operating system, Windows XP, will be discontinued on June 30th this year. Many consumers are concerned that the Windows XP operating system they currently use will become unsupported. Microsoft clarified that although the sale of XP will stop, technical support services will continue, including: incident support (free incident support, paid incident support, pay-per-hour support, warranty statement support), free security update support, free non-security product code patches, etc., which will be provided until April 14, 2009. After that, up until April 8, 2014, Microsoft will still provide event support and free security updates for XP, but if enterprises require non-security product code patches, they will need to pay.

Michael Lai, Deputy Manager of Microsoft Product Marketing: 'For example, within an enterprise, if there is a request for a non-security product code patch for a specific function of Windows XP, the enterprise must pay, but we will still provide security updates.'

This means that the security update support most relevant to general users will be provided by Microsoft for Windows XP until 2014, so consumers do not need to worry.

In addition, regarding reports on the next generation of Microsoft operating systems, Windows 7, after Vista, Microsoft stated that the beta version and release date of Windows 7 have not yet been determined. Any reported timelines for its release are merely rumors circulating in the industry.