Windows XP update delayed

While Windows Vista is nearing completion, Microsoft has delayed the next service pack update for its predecessor, Windows XP.

This week, Microsoft updated its lifecycle Web site to note that the introduction of Service Pack 3--the next XP update--has been pushed back until the first half of 2008.

Service Pack 3 has seen its schedule pushed out a few times, amid delays to Windows Vista. Most recently, Microsoft said in January that people should expect to see SP3 in the second half of 2007.

Microsoft officials in France had earlier said that the service pack could arrive late this year, but that was when Vista was set to debut earlier as well.

The last service pack for XP, Service Pack 2, included a greater than usual number of changes, particularly around security, and debuted in August 2004.

The change was noted earlier Thursday by Microsoft enthusiast site Neowin.net.

Microsoft is just now finishing up development on Vista, with the new operating system scheduled to go to large businesses next month and to launch more broadly in January.