Consumer electronics retailers and notebook vendors could get a massive lift in Australia during the last quarter with the early release of the new Windows 7 operating system by Microsoft.Consumer electronics retailers and notebook vendors could get a massive lift in Australia during the last quarter with the early release of the new Windows 7 operating system by Microsoft.
Late yesterday Microsoft confirmed that the next version of Windows will go on sale in time for the “holiday shopping season” with several notebook vendors set to launch new Netbooks, notebooks and touch screen devices in an effort to stimulate sales.
The early release is designed to generate additional cash flow for the software giant who yesterday confirmed that they are set to sell bonds for the first time. Investors looking for quality debt are lining up for a deal that will test the thawing credit markets.
The Wall Street Journal said that although Microsoft has more than $25 billion in cash, the company is preparing to sell $3.75 billion in long-term bonds, according to people familiar with the deal.
The software maker published an almost-final version of Windows 7 last week, a sign it would be ready before the official January 2010 deadline.
Windows 7 will replace the much-maligned Vista, which launched too late for the 2006 holiday season.
Microsoft had guaranteed free Vista upgrades to people who bought new XP computers during the peak Xmas buying period. But Microsoft was criticised when it turned out some of those PCs weren’t powerful enough to run a full version of Vista.
The move to having Windows 7 in time for the holidays may help boost PC sales, which have been stalled by the recession.
