Microsoft's decision to sit on Windows 8.1 for two months after engineers wrap up work was driven by the year's biggest sales cycles, analysts said.



From Computerworld:

On Wednesday, Microsoft announced it would release Windows 8.1, the first of what's expected to be annual updates to Windows 8, through the Windows Store on Oct. 17. The next day, copies of the updated operating system will hit retail, as will new Windows 8.1-powered devices from Microsoft's OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partners.

But with Microsoft still on track to hit its late-August completion date for Windows 8.1 -- at which point the operating system will be at what the company calls RTM, for "release to manufacturing," status -- some have wondered why the Redmond, Wash., developer plans to hold the update for eight or more weeks.

  Hurry up and wait: Why Microsoft's holding Windows 8.1