Sources at Microsoft revealed to The Register that the software giant has no plans for a second service pack for Windows 7. This means Microsoft is breaking precedent on the normal updating cycle of Windows, SP2 for Windows XP rolled out nearly three years after the operating system's release while Windows Vista SP2 came out just two years later. Windows 7 started shipping in October 2009, and it seems Microsoft plans to keep updating the OS on a monthly base until Windows 7's extended support runs out on January 14, 2020.
This means every update to Windows 7 since SP1 in February 2011 will need to be applied individually and – if you’ve been holding out – retrospectively.
Asked to comment, Microsoft said it didn’t have anything to say about Windows 7 SP2.
Service packs are a pain for Microsoft, because they divert engineers’ time and budget from building new versions of Windows. In this case, the anticipation for Windows 7’s SP2 comes around the same time as the launch of Windows 8, out later this week. Also, by ending SPs, Microsoft could be pushing customers towards the completely new Windows 8.
