New security features in Windows Vista will largely eliminate the need to run separate anti-spyware or firewall software, according to a new analyst report.
The next major release of Microsoft's flagship operating system, which is due out early next year, promises not only to increase security for consumers, it will also dramatically affect the $3.6bn market for Windows security products, according to a Yankee Group report scheduled to be published today.
Analyst Andrew Jaquith wrote in the report: "Yankee Group expects Vista to significantly shrink the aftermarket for anti-spyware and desktop firewalls."
Additionally, Microsoft's first new operating system release in five years may reduce the need for disk encryption, device control and certain types of host intrusion prevention software, Jaquith wrote.
But Vista won't have any effect on the antivirus software space, which at $2.6bn is the largest market for Windows desktop security software, according to Yankee Group. Vista does not include antivirus functionality; Microsoft plans to sell its Windows Live OneCare antivirus software separately starting next month.
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