Windows 8 - 128 Bit

A roadmap slide from an Italian Windows Server presentation spotted by UXEvangelist shows that the next major Windows Server release for Microsoft is set for 2012, which is approximately three years from the release of Windows 7.

Although the roadmap is titled Windows Server release, it is still appropriate for our guessing purposes

Windows Server 2008 was a major release and took place in 2008, which is four years before 2012. The next major release for a client operating system will occur one year after. In which case, Microsoft is expecting to release Windows 8 some time in 2013.

Note the ~ (tilda) which means approximate. As we have seen with the development of Windows 7, Microsoft did not mention anything specific regarding release dates until RTM was very near. Original estimates of Windows 7 RTMing in April and October were also off from the July 22 date.

The current poll we have running on the sidebar shows most of our visitors think Q4 2011 will be the Windows 8 release date. What do you think now? Let us know in the comments.

Note: Although Code Name “Windows 8″ may suggest that Windows 8 will not be the final name, “Windows 7″ was also a Code Name before it was declared the official name of the operating system.