The launch of the consumer version of Windows Vista, Microsoft’s new operating system, could be pushed back past the stated January launch date, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer said Wednesday.The operating system was due to be launched this year, but in March the company said it wouldn’t get broad release until January 2007. Ballmer said Wednesday that the planned January launch may slip further based on feedback from a beta release program and the product road maps of hardware vendors.“We think we are on track for shipping early in the year. We’ve talked about the month, but we get a chance to critically assess all of the feedback we’ll get from this beta release then confirm or move [the launch date] a few weeks,” he said at a news conference in Tokyo.Microsoft launched the second beta version of Windows Vista on Tuesday at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference in Seattle. “We put the beta out today … so we should start getting feedback right away,” said Ballmer. Microsoft’s Ballmer “The other thing, frankly, which we are discussing with NEC and other hardware partners is when would they really like it—early January, late January, February—so it depends on when the next rollover, the next turn of the machine cycle will be, and that would be the best time to ship it based on beta feedback,” he said. Timing the launch of the operating system with the product road maps of PC makers is important, said Ballmer. Microsoft delayed the Vista launch from November to January to avoid putting the product out during the year-end sales season when a change in PC lineups and operating systems could cause problems for vendors.The news comes just days after Ballmer told the press that he didn’t think the lawsuit filed by Symantec against Microsoft regarding storage technology used in Vista would bump the operating system’s release. For more, read Ballmer: Symantec Suit Won’t Bump Vista Release. -Martyn Williams, IDG News Service(CIO News Writer Al Sacco contributed to this report.) For more related news coverage, read Microsoft Releases Vista, Longhorn, Office Betas.This article is posted on our Microsoft Informer page. For more news on the Redmond, Wash.-based powerhouse, keep checking in. Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost A guide to hybrid cloud deployment for innovation without disruption How do organizations balance their on-premises preferences and requisites with the crucial need to innovate? By Ahmed Helmy, Global Vice President, Avaya Experience Platform Product Management Jun 07, 2023 3 mins Hybrid Cloud brandpost Bringing AI to your organization? Better bring the right database Why Apache Cassandra offers the scalability, reliability, and speed required for building artificial intelligence applications. By Patrick McFadin Jun 07, 2023 7 mins Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence feature 7 ways to spot hidden IT talent within your ranks Your organization has hidden IT superstars in the making — both within and outside IT. Here’s how to find and elevate them for maximum impact. By John Edwards Jun 07, 2023 8 mins Staff Management feature The NBA’s digital transformation is a game-changer The National Basketball Association’s move to Azure cloud is helping improve fan experience and in-game performance due to analytics- and AI-assisted tools aimed at unlocking data’s full potential. By Paula Rooney Jun 07, 2023 9 mins Microsoft Azure Media and Entertainment Industry Digital Transformation Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe