Vista SP1 accelerated for 2007 to fix key flaws?

Microsoft is speeding up the release of its first major service pack for its as yet unreleased Vista operating system, according to an e-mail leaked to the press. The message indicates that the Redmond software developer is aiming for a "second half of CY07" launch for Service Pack 1, placing its initial launch as soon as July, only six months after Vista's official release. If completed on schedule, the patch would represent an exceptionally quick refresh to the OS, as the company normally provides such updates roughly a year or more later as convenient bundles of earlier, minor software fixes. Windows XP Service Pack 1 was released in September 2002, 11 months after the core OS was completed.

The increased pace is likely due to the increased number of serious flaws in Vista's initial launch, information within the e-mail reveals. Detailing a list of crucial fixes, the company points to "regressions" and other "high impact issues" in the software, directly referencing instances in which Vista offers reduced features compared to its XP predecessor. The leak appears to confirm earlier criticism that Microsoft is releasing Vista too soon and suggests that the company was willing to release Vista prematurely in order to meet its self-imposed January 30th launch window. [via Bink]