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 concerned that Microsoft may also stop providing technical support services for Windows XP in the future. In response to this, Microsoft stated that free security updates for Windows XP will continue until 2014, and consumers do not need to worry about their operating system becoming orphaned.

After the release of the new operating system Vista, Microsoft will terminate the retail sales of Windows XP and shipments to OEM manufacturers starting from June 30th this year. After this news was released, many consumers were worried that the currently used Windows XP operating system would become orphaned. Microsoft clarified that although the sales of XP have stopped, 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. Afterwards, until April 8, 2014, Microsoft will still provide event support and free security updates for XP, but enterprises requiring non-security product code patches will need to pay.

Michael Lai, Deputy Manager of Microsoft Product Marketing: "For example, within an enterprise, if there is a need for a non-security product code patch for a specific feature of Windows XP, the enterprise must pay for it, 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 about the next-generation Microsoft operating system, Windows 7, after Vista, Microsoft pointed out that the beta version and launch date of Windows 7 have not yet been determined. Any reported launch schedule belongs to rumors circulating among the public.