Microsoft nixes Windows XP for Itanium

InfoWorld | at | by Mike

Microsoft has pulled the plug on a version of Windows XP for Intel's Itanium 2 processor. The move marks the end for Itanium 2 in Windows-based workstations and comes after major hardware vendors abandoned the 64-bit chip for use in workstations.

Going forward, Microsoft will focus on processors with 64-bit extensions for use in workstations, instead of Itanium, a company spokeswoman said in a statement Tuesday. Final versions of Windows for 32-bit processors with 64-bit extensions are due in the first half of this year, after several delays.