Microsoft delays Windows XP SP3 to late 2007

[ben2ong2]

Without any warning or even an official announcement, Microsoft has quietly pushed back the release of Windows XP Service Pack 3 to late 2007. This new schedule places the release at least a year later than the previous schedule, under which SP3 would ship sometime in 2006. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer previously announced that his company would ship SP3 "before" Windows Vista, which is now due in late 2006.

Microsoft's new schedule for SP3 was revealed in a service pack roadmap that the company posted to the Web late last month. According to this document, Windows XP SP3 will ship in the second half of 2007.