Intel lets slip Vista SP1 release schedule

Intel chief Paul Otellini has revealed the release date of the first service pack for Vista

Intel chief executive Paul Otellini has let slip the release date of the first service pack for Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system. 

Otellini said during an earnings call for the chipmaker's first-quarter financial results that Windows Vista Service Pack 1 will probably arrive "in the October-November time frame".

Microsoft has not yet disclosed its official launch schedule for Service Pack 1 and is saying only that the software will be released in the second half of this year.

Service Pack 1 essentially bundles all the existing patches and updates that Microsoft has issued so far. Unlike Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, the software will not introduce any major changes.

The Service Pack release signals that the software has reached a certain level of maturity, however, and will encourage businesses to start adopting the platform.

Otellini has previously said that Intel will not switch to Vista until after the Service Pack 1 release, and expects other companies to do the same.

He repeated these views in the earnings call, but for the first time added the expected October-November release date.