HP Pulling Out of Windows RT Race... Over Surface?
HP has supposedly bailed out of the Windows RT race while other Microsoft partners are considering the same, thanks to Surface.
If rumors are true, then Microsoft may have just created a few enemies with the introduction of the Surface tablet last week. Sources have told SemiAccurate that a "whole flock" of formerly close Microsoft partners are looking at Google's Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" as their new best friend. Most are currently debating on whether it will be worth their time to develop Windows RT tablets while Hewlett Packard, Microsoft's biggest OEM, is bailing out altogether.
SemiAccurate paints a dark strategy implemented by Microsoft which paves the way for the supposed OEM rebellion. "Microsoft handcuffed both ARM chipmakers and OEMs with their brilliant two device per chipmaker strategy," the report describes. "Then, they ‘worked closely’ with all the OEMs, ‘helping’ them with their designs. As soon as those designs were essentially finalized, Microsoft did their own device that paid homage to their OEMs most innovative features. It is also a direct competitor to those OEMs, and was designed knowing exactly where their weaknesses were."
The article points out that Microsoft isn't bound by the same restrictions it imposes on OEMs, squashing any possible competition posed by Windows RT partners. The company also increased the price of Windows RT licenses with a "questionably legal monopolistic bundle" to around 3 times that it requires OEMs to pay for the x86 version of Windows 8. Because of these two factors, OEMs can't seemingly compete in the Windows RT arena.
As previously stated, HP and its Qualcomm-based Windows RT machines are supposedly the first to bail. Other industry rumors claim that Windows RT partners are canning one or more designs in light of the Surface reveal last week, and are scraping up every bit of resource they can to renew their Android efforts. This move is likely fueled by Android 4.1's big reveal this week at Google I/O which sports features like the Chrome browser (HTML5 apps?) and Google Now, Siri's new competitor.
"Microsoft’s incompetent management and Apple envy earned the enmity of their largest partner, and others are following closely," SemiAccurate writes. "Like we said, game over for Windows RT."
Is that as bit harsh, or dead on the money? The fact that Microsoft kept Surface a secret until the very last moment should speak volumes about the company's current relationship with OEMs. As for HP bailing out of Windows RT, given the company's rocky status, the gadget may never have been at the forefront of its plans to begin with.
UPDATE: HP confirmed that it has put its Windows RT plans on hold. "The decision to go with x86 was influenced by input from our customers,” HP spokesperson Marlene Somsak wrote in an e-mail to Bloomberg. “The robust and established ecosystem of x86 applications provides the best customer experience at this time and in the immediate future.”
Couldn't agree more. Apple's success in the phone and tablet market isn't due to Apple doing anything particularly new or daunting, it's due to the competition not doing anything right at all.
Also, HP, please, DO NOT simply drop an Atom based WIndows 8 tablet like the HP Slate 500 and Slate 2 as they were both tragically underpowered devices.
Personally I'd like a nice new 2170p with a screen that's a tablet so I can use all the fantastic docking stations, peripherals and BB09/CC09 extended batteries. 32+ hours of battery life anyone? But... HP probably won't do that as it makes too much sense.
It may mean more or less the same thing, but when you read it, you get the difference. Google is a good example, sometimes if you want it done right - you have to do it yourself. Hopefully they can offer something intuitive and groundbreaking compared to their partners, something that adds another player so that all of the tablet makers have to redouble their efforts and push things farther.
Also, HP, please, DO NOT simply drop an Atom based WIndows 8 tablet like the HP Slate 500 and Slate 2 as they were both tragically underpowered devices.
Personally I'd like a nice new 2170p with a screen that's a tablet so I can use all the fantastic docking stations, peripherals and BB09/CC09 extended batteries. 32+ hours of battery life anyone? But... HP probably won't do that as it makes too much sense.
Couldn't agree more. Apple's success in the phone and tablet market isn't due to Apple doing anything particularly new or daunting, it's due to the competition not doing anything right at all.
This does not surprise me in the least. It won't be the first time they have said this about something and it won't be the last.
An aside-
Kevin - why are you sourcing SemiAccurate? Wouldn't that be like sourcing AnandTech or XbitLabs?
I mean, it just seems like you could do better, like the opinion piece you wrote.
I enjoyed that and overall I enjoy your journalism, maybe I'm just being an overcritical douche.
Apple screwing distribution partners in Europe and going into direct competition with them!
Google Nexus model, Google works with one partner to raise the bar, it does not sink competition, and the partner varies.
the first 2 gens of iphone, yes, that was the case, the everything after is partially they did it right first, and apple sheep.
windows rt is basically a brand new os without any apps, and there is already a giant making a damn near impossible to beat version of it. its smart to drop the rt line, because all they would do is make the ms one look better.
It seems to me HP, a company that was going to axe every single end-user product line just a few months ago, simply cannot make a good device, or sell it for a profit. They are the ones that need to wake up and change.
Google dosn't need an x86 OS. All the programs they have live in ARM space, so why bother moving to a new platform?
Char-LIES articles are mostly-inaccurate. And if Nvidia is involved very-inaccurate.
Now for the x86 tablets, the Surface Pro is something I've been waiting for for quite some time. We've had attempts that come close in the Asus EP121 and Samsung Series 7 Slate. Both attempts failed on that successful removable keyboard transformation ability, and both machines failed on the power front with their aggressive CPU throttling. The Fujitsu Q550 and HP Slate were both garbage given their poorly performing Atom CPUs. If HP wants to cry and complain about the Surface Pro then they need to step up to the plate and start competing. The stuff coming from them has been terrible lately. I hope they intend to put some serious resources to their x86 projects and not make the same mistakes made in the past. PC offerings in the work/design/graphics tablet space have been bad enough to make me consider an Apple modbook.
Agreed. Considering that Windows RT has essentially no advantage over ios/android, and many disadvantages, I'm surprised any OEM was stupid enough to even consider it.