Windows 7 RTM May Release in September or October 2009

The final edition of Windows 7, which commonly known as RTM (release-to-manufacturing) version, may be released and start shipping as early as in September or October 2009, months earlier that what Microsoft officially predicts on when Windows 7 will hit the market, January 2010.

According to Ray Chen, president of Taipei-based Compal Electronics Inc.，the maker of laptop personal computers for Hewlett-Packard Co. and Acer Inc, Windows 7 should be released on late September or early October according to current planning, as reported by Bloomberg.

According to Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president, Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group, Microsoft has decided to skip Windows 7 Beta 2 to go direct to RC (release candidate) development milestone for Windows 7, which is expected to release in April 2009, paving the way for the Windows 7 to go on prime time showcase on September or October.

In fact, Lotta Bath, from the Microsoft Sweden Partner team, has published a blog post which has since been taken down at http://blogs.msdn.com/partnerblogg/archive/2009/01/30/n-gra-h-ndelser-inf-r-lanseringen-av-windows-7.aspx, that specified deadlines to he upcoming Windows 7 releases, mapping a variety of events that would lead to the launch of Windows 7. The Windows 7 release roadmap date is said to be given by Michael Bohlin, Windows product manager.

According to Lotta Bath, Windows 7 RC will be released early April, after the CeBIT event, while Windows 7 RTM is set to release on October 3, at 11:10 AM. Microsoft itself will probably install Windows 7 from May 31st. There will be lots of events and presentations for business launch and consumer launch, which will run parallel during the 3Q 2009, including Windows 7 Summit, and during the lead up to the official launch of Windows 7. Some events will happen on 7th of every month too. However, the boxed retail version of Windows 7 is expected to hit the store only by February 2010.

Update: Windows 7 will be released on October 22nd, 2009