engine - 5:59 pm on Jul 9, 2012 (gmt 0)

Microsoft Confirm Windows 8 RTM Beginning August, Shipping To All End of October [guardian.co.uk]

Windows 8 will be "released to manufacturing" in the first week of August, and will move to "general availability" for everyone by the end of October, Microsoft has announced. Speaking at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in the US, Tami Reller, the vice-president for Windows, gave the dates when the finished software would be sent out to companies so that they can test and include it on PCs – the "release to manufacture", or "RTM" date – and the later date when people will be able to buy and download it directly from Microsoft.