Microsoft issued a press release yesterday which - when taken with what the company has said previously - seems to be saying that consumer versions of Vista are going to be coming to market later than expected (Jan 07), though, of course, the release doesn't mention anything about delays!

This is how it starts...

Microsoft updates Windows Vista road map

Business availability for Windows Vista in November 2006, consumer availability in January 2007

REDMOND, Wash. — March 21, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. today confirmed that Windows Vista, the next generation of the Windows client operating system, is on target to go into broad consumer beta to approximately 2 million users in the second quarter of 2006. Microsoft is on track to complete the product this year, with business availability in November 2006 and broad consumer availability in January 2007.

Has the company said any time before this that consumer availability wouldn't be until next year?

I don't think so, and reckon that a lot of consumer-orientated system builders who'd expected to have a bonanaza Christmas selling upmarket Vista-based PCs are going to be doing a lot less business than they'd anticipated.

Check out the release here.