NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Microsoft Corp. climbed Monday after a report that Windows 8 might come earlier than expected.
THE SPARK: ZDNet's All About Microsoft blogger, Mary-Jo Foley, reported Monday that Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 8, might be released to manufacturers in April next year, well ahead of the expected fall release.
Foley said the news came from a trusted but unnamed source. Microsoft of Redmond, Wash., had no immediate comment on the report. It has not provided a timeline for the release of Windows 8.
THE ANALYSIS: Windows 8 is significant because it will be the first full-blown version of Windows that will be able to run on the non-Intel Corp. processors that go into today's tablet computers, like the iPad. That could help Microsoft catch up in this nascent market, which is starting to make a dent in PC sales.
As Foley points out, an April release would let PC makers incorporate Windows 8 in next year's back-to-school computers.
Adapting Windows to run on non-Intel processors is a big task. Third-party software would likely need to be modified as well.
SHARE ACTION: Microsoft shares rose $1.11, or 4.6 percent, to $25.42 in afternoon trading.
