Just a day after Microsoft confirmed it had finished the development of Windows 8, the final build of the new operating system has leaked on the Web.
And although MSDN and TechNet customers won't officially receive access to the final Windows 8 copy until August 15, an Enterprise version of Windows 8 is already available and can be found widely across various file sharing sites.
The leaked version is called the "N" edition of Windows 8. This version, however, does not include a bundled copy of Windows Media Player. Microsoft was previously made to create the special N editions of Windows after the European Commission ruled in 2004 that it needed to provide a copy of Windows without Windows Media Player tied in.
The Verge has tried contacting Microsoft for a comment on the situation. The company says it's not discussing the leak.
Microsoft had announced Thursday that Windows 8 development is complete. Microsoft's latest milestone has brought an end to almost two years of development for its new Metro inspired Windows 8 software. It also marks the start of an entirely new release phase.
“We continue to be sincerely humbled by the breadth of participation in our pre-release testing. The previews of Windows 8 (Developer, Consumer, Release) have been the most widely and deeply used test releases of any product we have ever done. Over 16 million PCs actively participated in these programs, including approximately 7 million on the Release Preview that started 8 weeks ago. The depth and breadth of testing validate the readiness of Windows 8 for the market,” stated Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft's head of Windows, in the official Microsoft Blog.
The final Release to Manufacturing (RTM) code will now be distributed to the company's hardware partners in the next few days to prepare PCs and tablets accordingly with the new operating system in time for general availability on October 26.
Read more: Microsoft Windows 8 Completed, RTM Announced
