Windows 7: Internet Explorer to Start Autoupdating

Microsoft today said it will silently upgrade Internet Explorer (IE) starting next month, arguing that taking the responsibility out of the hands of users will keep the Web safer.

The move is an acknowledgement by Microsoft that Google's model -- its Chrome browser has updated in the background without user involvement since it debuted more than three years ago -- is the right one.

Everyone benefits from an up-to-date browser.
Today we are sharing our plan to automatically upgrade Windows customers to the latest version of Internet Explorer available for their PC. This is an important step in helping to move the Web forward. We will start in January for customers in Australia and Brazil who have turned on automatic updating via Windows Update. Similar to our release of IE9 earlier this year, we will take a measured approach, scaling up over time.
As always, when upgrading from one version of Internet Explorer to the next through Windows Update, the user’s home page, search provider, and default browser remains unchanged.

Under its plan, IE will be silently upgraded only to those users who have opted in to automatic updates on the Windows Update service.
"[And] customers who have declined previous installations of IE8 or IE9 through Windows Update will not be automatically updated," Microsoft promised in a Thursday blog post.

I don't see anything different from what MS has done (provided) in the past. You can choose auto update or not. What's the purpose of the news release other than pushing HTML5? Again!

Of course, it wouldn't bother me to see Adobe Flash die a painful death.

Respecting Customer Choice and Control

While the benefits of upgrading are numerous, we recognize that some organizations and individuals may want to opt-out and set their own upgrade pace. One of the things we’re committed to as we move to auto updates is striking the right balance for consumers and enterprises – getting consumers the most up-to-date version of their browser while allowing enterprises to update their browsers on their schedule. The Internet Explorer 8 and Internet Explorer 9 Automatic Update Blocker toolkits prevent automatic upgrades of IE for Windows customers who do not want them. Of course, we firmly believe that IE9 is the most compelling browser for business customers, and we want them to make the decision to upgrade at their convenience. Commercial customers can learn more about how this auto upgrade affects them here.
Similarly, customers who have declined previous installations of IE8 or IE9 through Windows Update will not be automatically updated. Customers have the ability to uninstall updates and continue to receive support for the version of IE that came with their copy of Windows. And similar to organizations, consumers can block the update all together and upgrade on their own. Finally, future versions of IE will provide an option in the product for consumers to opt out of automatic upgrading.