Microsoft to delay launch Office 2007

Microsoft will delay the launch of its latest Office suite because it want to make improvements to the package.

Close on the heels of its announcement of job cuts in the US, Microsoft has announced the delay of its Office 2007 software citing reasons of product improvements based on beta feedback.

Microsoft said that it is altering its development schedule because it is incorporating feedback from the Beta release and internal testing. The Office 2007 suite , which includes the Word Processor, Excel spreadsheet and PowerPoint presentation software, will now be released by 2006 end. 

The general availability of Office 2007 would be delayed to January 2007. Office 2007 was supposed to be launched in October 2007. 

Earlier this year, Microsoft had delayed the launch of the Windows Vista operating system and the launch of Office 2007 to match with that. Many feel that the Office 2007 delay will have an impact on the launch of Windows Vista.

The Office suite and Windows are Microsoft's key products. Delays with these products may put off consumers who may worry about quality issues. Also, it could further cause damage to Microsoft's image which has been taking a hit for some time now for varied reasons. The annoucement that Microsoft will slash 214 jobs in the US, is not exactly inspiring customer confidence either.

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