On November 30, 2006 Microsoft released Windows Vista, the successor to Windows XP and the first indication that the end of support for this version was near. They have had to spend 13 more years so that it finally happens, the last version of Windows XP with Microsoft support stops having it after 17 years of history of one of the most popular operating systems.
On April 9, 2019 was the deadline granted by Microsoft to support Windows XP. It is the longest version of Windows. Microsoft left much of this operating system behind in April 2014, when the Home and Professional versions (the most used) no longer received updates via Windows Update. However, the support for the Embedded version POSReady 2009, an XP-based Windows that was especially used in professional environments, was extended.
Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 is an operating system based on Windows XP and was designed specifically for embedded systems (as its name suggests). It is usually used for very specific tasks and limited with a hardware at the same height. For example, it is popular at ATMs.
Due to the difficulty of updating this type of machines, Microsoft decided to continue updating the system with security patches until this past April 9. It's over, users who still want to update it will be able to download the pending patches until next July. As of July, it will not be possible even to download the latest patches with security updates.
In the following video, a look at Windows Embedded POSReady 2009:
The operating system that not everyone wants (or can) give up
As much as Microsoft has finally stopped updating Windows XP or any of its versions, it is hard to believe that it has died. We are talking about an operating system that was extremely popular in large institutions and public bodies. The United Kingdom even paid millions of pounds to Microsoft to extend the life of the operating system for another year, they did not have time to update it in academic and similar institutions.
More than a decade after new versions arrived, Windows XP continues to be used due to the difficulty of updating, the cost of doing so or simply because the programs used for certain tasks are only compatible with Windows XP. In fact, a few weeks ago we discovered that in the very Congress of Deputies, Windows XP continues to be used.
Two years after its launch Windows 7 became the most used operating system, surpassing Windows XP. A Windows 10 has cost a bit more, but last January was positioned as the most installed operating system, above Windows 7. It remains to be seen if any of them get beat the 17 years of support that Windows XP has had .