Oops! AMD CEO spills the beans on Microsoft Windows 10 July launch

During an earnings call transcript published on Seeking Alpha, on April 17th, AMD CEO Lisa Su, may have accidentally referenced confidential information on an end of July launch of Windows 10.

Lisa Su’s transcript reads as follows:

“What we also are factoring in is, you know, with the Windows 10 launch at the end of July, we are watching sort of the impact of that on the back-to-school season, and expect that it might have a bit of a delay to the normal back-to-school season inventory build-up.”.

From the context and choice of words, there seems to be no question on Microsoft’s plans for a late July launch, which makes perfect sense, as Su herself brings up a good point about the build-up of back-to-school inventory to global retailers.

Of course, being an unofficial reference, on top of being from a non-Microsoft source, with no direct connection to the Windows team, while there “seems to be no question”, a few questions might actually still exist on the alleged release date. While the more optimistic, but highly improbable June forecast seemed to be semi-official, what seems to play in favor of what we have read from the CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, is the frequency at which unofficial builds are leaking, and what the team seem to be focusing on.

The emphasis is on the user interface, both in terms of visual refinement, and fluidity, which could mean the Windows team is close to solving most of the bugs in its checklist, and is now free to focus on look and feel. A month delay from the original prognostication is still on schedule with retailer’s expectations, and hopes are high that Windows 10 will breathe new life into the desktop PC market.

Another item factoring in against a June release is the launch of Windows 10 for Phones, as well as Windows 10 for screen sizes 8 inches or less. The most recent leaked builds of the latter, reveal the tablet-friendly version of Windows 10 as a work in progress, although it is far from being an indication of the current state of its development.