MIAMI (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp.(MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research)co-founder Bill Gates said on Friday he expected the new version ofWindows operating software, code-named Windows 7, to be released"sometime in the next year or so."
The software giant has been aiming to issue more regular updates ofthe operating system software that powers the majority of the world’spersonal computers. Nevertheless, Gates’ comments suggested that asuccessor to the Vista program might be released sooner than wasgenerally expected.
Microsoft has said it expected to release a new version of Windowsapproximately 3 years after the introduction of Vista in January 2007.A company spokeswoman said Gates’ comments are in line with adevelopment cycle that usually releases a test version of the softwarebefore its official introduction.
"I’m superenthused about what it will do in lots of ways," Gatessaid in a seminar on corporate philanthropy held during an annualmeeting in Miami of the Inter-American Development Bank.
"That’ll be sometime in the next year or so that we’ll have a newversion," Gates said in response to a question from the audience.
Gates, who is due to leave his day-to-day functions at Microsoft anddedicate himself to the philanthropic efforts of the Gates Foundationin June, said the company aimed through its $6 billion annual researchand development budget to take the products running on its software to"the next level."
He said new versions of Windows would help revolutionize mobilephones and run the desk of the future, which would have a touch surfacedisplay allowing users to call up items using their hands.
(Reporting by Michael Christie, Editing by Gunna Dickson)
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