Windows Update V6 Gone Public?

This was originally going to be a heads up for a new Update for Windows XP (KB893357). So being the great reporter that I am I decided to install it first before writing about it.

When I pointed my browser to Windows Update I expected to see trusty ol' V5 (Windows Update Version 5) but was presented with V6 instead. It's important to note that I haven't done anything fancy with my computer and I confirmed this with another Neowin reporter before writing this, and the same happened to him. He got V6.

I had to install the Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool for the site to work, its pretty clear that the update checks if your Windows installation is genuine, much like the Windows Genuine Advantage Program available at Microsoft.com on selective downloads. I guess Microsoft won't be serving updates for 'dodgy' copies of Windows anymore!

Anyway, it may be a glitch in the system at Microsoft, since the Microsoft Update Beta is not out of Beta yet. So just in case, I took some screenshots so we can all see what V6 looks like.

Microsoft were unavailable for comment on the status of the new Microsoft Windows Update. Details of the new update can be found by clicking 'Read more'.