Microsoft Windows XPs Life Cycle

XPs Introduction
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it was the most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base. The name "XP" is short for "eXPerience." Windows XP, the successor to Windows 2000 and Windows Me, was the first consumer-oriented operating system produced by Microsoft to be built on the Windows NT kernel. Windows XP was released for retail sale on October 25, 2001, and over 400 million copies were in use in January 2006. Microsoft stopped selling Windows XP from June 30, 2008. Some common editions of XP operating system were Windows XP Home Edition, and Windows XP Professional, and Windows XP Media Center Edition. Windows XP Tablet PC Edition was designed to run using the Tablet PC platform. Windows XP one of the most stable and efficient windows to date was programmed in C and C++ languages. Windows XP had a rather enhanced Graphic user interface which made in more user-friendly the main reason for its huge success

The Product Life Cycle

Developmental stage
Development of Windows XP started in 1999 in the form of Windows Neptune and the project was code named whistler. Windows XP was developed for 18 months, from December 1999 to August 2001, and was released on October 25, 2001. Windows XP was developed as a Windows that combined the functionality of Windows 98 and security of windows NT. Based on NT kernel it was the first operating system that was user friendly well as extremely stable. Windows XP was designed with high networking capabilities.

Introduction stage
Windows XP was released to critical acclaim on October 25, 2001. It was the first operating system to be released in many different versions to suit the functionality of its users. During its introducing XP was positively received and went on to become the highest used Operating systems ever. At that time it was one of its kind operating system having very little competition to its functionality and user friendliness. XP introduced as a beta release to a limited number of customers to see their responses and work on any flaws that are found.

Growth stage
BY mid-2002 Windows XP had established itself as one of the best, most stable and advanced product at that time. Its user friendliness made it the first choice for almost all home users with little know how about the computer. XPs sales continued to grow all throughout the 2002-03 reaching a huge 17 million sales. In 2004-05 the sales for XP reached a new high as almost all the people started to shift to XP from their old windows. During this time XP Service Packs 1 and 2 were released that gave the already secure and stable windows even more stability and security.

Maturity Stage
Throughout the 2006-07 until the released of vista and even after that the sales of XP remained constant. In 2006 XP became the highest selling windows. At that time around 400 million copies of XP were in use. Microsoft announced a 3rd service pack known as XP service pack 3 for the XP windows but the sales growth had declined by then and XP was holding onto the market share it has created for itself all these past years.

Decline stage
It was the release of Windows vista and Windows 7 combined that has led to a recent decline in the use of windows XP. Though vista could not overcome XP sales the windows 7s huge success and critical reception has indeed overpowered windows XP. Windows XP still the largest market shareholder of operating systems is rapidly losing its share to windows 7 and marketer are predicting that XP will lose its entire market share by end of 2013.