Microsoft to drop XP support in three years, Windows 8 to arrive sooner

If you haven’t switched to Windows 7 and you’re still using Windows XP, you might want to consider jumping soon, as Microsoft has announced that it will stop all support for XP in 2014.

“As of today, customers have 1000 days until support for Windows XP ends,” wrote Microsoft’s Erwin Visser on the Windows Team Blog. “Windows XP served us well, but in the ten years since it launched, the world has changed. It’s time to retire Windows XP and move to Windows 7 to take advantage of the last decade of innovation in areas such as security, performance and more natural, intuitive interface.”

Despite being ten years old, Windows XP is still considered one of the better operating systems Microsoft has released. Replaced twice – once with Windows Vista in 2007 and then with Windows 7 in 2009 – few computers come with the decade old OS anymore.

With three years left, customers and businesses should have plenty of time to make their way over to a new platform, especially as Microsoft gears up for Windows 8.

Previewed earlier this year, Windows 8 is expected to bring more support for touchscreen interfaces, among other things. There’s no release date as of yet for the next Microsoft operating system, but rumours are suggesting that it could be as early as next year.