Office 2007 Slips; Will Vista Be Next?

Office 2007 is running late.

Microsoft officials acknowledged on June 29 that the company will not meet the October 2006 business-availability target to which it committed in March of 2006.

At that time, Microsoft officials said to expect retail availability of Office 2007 to be some time in January 2007, so as to coincide with the Windows Vista launch.

But on June 29, Microsoft revised its schedule.

Now Microsoft is promising that Office 2007 will be available to volume licensees “by the end of year 2006,” with retail availability in “early 2007.”

/zimages/7/28571.gifClick hereto read about how Microsoft is addressing the bloat issue in Office 2007.

Company officials declined to provide further details. They also would not say whether the retail launch of Office 2007 is still on for January.

Earlier the week of June 26, when asked for an update on Vista availability, Microsoft officials said the delivery date had not slipped and that the product was still on track to go to volume licensees this fall, with the retail launch targeted for January 2007.

On June 29, a Vista spokesperson reiterated: “The [Office 20007] announcement today does not impact Windows Vista timing.”

Developer and partner sources have been skeptical as to whether Microsoft can meet the Vista targets it outlined in March.

/zimages/7/28571.gifRead the full story on Microsoft Watch:Microsoft Office 2007 Falls Behind Schedule

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