Microsoft appears to be steaming ahead with Windows 7, but the same can't be said for the next iteration of its hugely-popular office suite.
According to ZDNet's Mary-Jo Foley, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has advised analysts that "Office 14 will not be this year", indicating that the release won't coincide with Windows 7.
Despite the official confirmation, the news won't come as a surprise to most. Although Microsoft has previously suggested that Office 14 could be available in 2009, it has thus far only released an alpha version to select users. A beta is expected later this year, and with Microsoft reportedly investing $7.6 billion in Office development, we may not see the completed product until late 2010.
Meanwhile, sources have confirmed that Windows 7 is on track to reach manufacturing in Q3 of this year.
