TAIPEI --  Microsoft Monday dismissed reports that its much-heralded new Windows Vista platform for small businesses and consumers would be further delayed.

"We've been working closely with our OEM [original equipment manufacturing] hardware partners," Timothy Chen, chief executive officer of Microsoft's Greater China region, told reporters.

"As of now, the release schedule of Vista is unchanged. In a word, Vista for small businesses and consumers will be released late in the fourth quarter and late January," he said.

Microsoft earlier this year delayed the release of Vista until January, missing the key yearend period for computer sales.

Vista is one of four major Microsoft products to hit the market in the year ahead, Chen said.

Development of the four products - "Long Horn Server," "Office 2007," "Vista," and Exchange Server" - had cost Microsoft $20 billion, he said.

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Microsoft sees no further delay to release of Vista