Is XP Immortal? Downgrade Rights extended to 2020

It is the OS that wouldn't die. It sounds like a horror movie, and for Microsoft, it probably seems like one. Microsoft announced on Monday that the "Windows XP Downgrade rights," which allows a purchaser of Windows 7 to choose to downgrade their OS to Windows XP, without paying for two copies of Windows, would continue until 2020.

In the past, Microsoft has terminated such a program a few months after the "next, next" version of Windows was introduced (in this case, 7, which was released in Oct. 2009). The problem is that 74 percent of businesses have not transitioned off of Windows XP, and many businesses want to standardize on a single operating system to simplify IT support.

The new policy, Microsoft announced in a blog post, will allow customers to downgrade to either Windows XP or Vista throughout the life cycle of Windows 7. Windows 7 Professional won't retire until 2020, which means XP will have a life that spans nearly 20 years (it was introduced in 2001).

Downgrade rights are available only for OEM copies of Windows 7 (those that are pre-installed by manufacturers or system builders). Also, despite this extension, while currently some vendors have been pre-installing the downgrade copy of Windows, that factory-install feature will expire on Oct. 22, 2010. That means that Windows users who want to downgrade a Windows 7 system to XP will be forced to do it themselves beginning on Oct. 23 of this year.

At the same time, OEMs must stop installing Windows XP Home on netbooks as of Oct. 22, 2010; finally, those netbook vendors may sell PCs with Vista pre-installed only through Oct. 22, 2011.

Microsoft COO calls iPhone 4 Apple

Kevin Turner, Microsoft's Chief Operating Officer (COO) made fun of Apple and its iPhone 4 problems while giving a keynote speech at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC), which runs through Thursday in Washington, D.C. Of course, by calling the iPhone 4 "Apple's Windows Vista," he was also slamming his own company.

Turner's gibe at his own company was about Windows Vista, the OS version between XP and 7. It was met with strong criticism over its performance and system requirements, and was even criticized by Microsoft's own executives in emails, which was later revealed. It was not one of Microsoft's best moments.

With regards to Apple, Turner said, "It looks like the iPhone 4 might be their Vista, and I'm okay with that." He added, "One of the things I want to make sure you know today is that you're going to be able to use a Windows Phone 7 and not have to worry about how you're holding it to make a phone call."

In reality, since Windows Phone 7 is just a platform, we'd really have to ask the OEMs who put it into their phones if they are going to use an external antenna system like the iPhone 4's. The famous "death grip" problem is primarily exhibited when a user holds the phone in such a way as to bridge the gap between two antennas.

Of course, there have been quite a few who say they see no issue at all, and that it can be solved with software, while others disagree.

Windows Phone 7 is currently scheduled to reach retail in the U.S. this November, on a number of smartphones. Microsoft has high hopes for it, but not all are so high on the new platform. It has not just the iPhone, but Android to surmount, among the latest smartphone platforms.