Windows 7 In 2010, Microsoft Says

Microsoft is backing off comments by chairman Bill Gates that the next version of Windows could be available as early as next year.
"We are currently in the planning stages for Windows 7 and development is scoped to three years from Windows Vista consumer" general availability, a Microsoft spokesman said in an e-mail Friday to InformationWeek.
Windows Vista was released to consumers in late January 2007. That means Windows 7 would not be released until January 2010, according to Microsoft's statement.
Speaking at a seminar on corporate philanthropy last week in Miami, Gates said his company might ship a new version of its Windows operating system as soon as 2009.