Earlier today Mary Jo Foley wrote over on All About Microsoft concerning the upcoming release of Windows 8.1 and asked the question When will users get the final bits?. In this story she writes that RTM appears to be tracking for the announced August release but that end users might have to wait a couple of months to get the final bits.
I am here to say that there is zero reason why the final electronic bits should be held up past RTM to OEM’s. The OEM’s get the early release so that they have a chance to get this version into the manufacturing pipeline so that devices/systems coming out during the upcoming holiday season will be running the latest release.
Well for every reason that Microsoft chose to change up things in Windows 8 and subsequently release Windows 8.1 then they should also be delivering this new set of updates to end users as soon as it is ready.
Microsoft has told us they listened to customers in making these changes in Windows 8.1 and so that means there are a lot of customers sitting with either Windows 8 or the Windows 8.1 Preview installed on their systems ready to get those final bits ASAP.
With the improvements made to feature discoverability, system/device customization and functionality overall end users want this update and they want it now.
As I wrote back in July, Digital Availability of the RTM Windows 8.1 Update, I predicted a mid September General Availability based on the release schedule of Windows 7’s first service pack.
In this day and age of digital downloads there is no reason delivery of this very important update should be delayed at all. Since it is free for all existing Windows 8 users then why not get it up and in the Windows Store for delivery as soon as it is ready. The ISO’s of Windows 8.1 can come later for those that want to get the bits on their system with a clean install.
What do you think will happen with this?
