Tablet Makers Not Rushing Toward Windows 8

By Douglas Perry
published

There is not much buzz surrounding Windows 8 tablets just yet.

Tablet makers apparently are still focusing on Android 4.0 for now and could be shifting some of their interest to Windows later this year, a report published by Digitimes said. "Most brand vendors will not rush" to introduce Windows 8 tablets until Q4, the site wrote.

Current demand for tablets, which isn't overwhelming outside the Apple world, seems to have convinced tablet makers that there is no urgency required to get a Windows tablet out onto store shelves. The necessary testing time of new Windows tablets could be another reason why many tablet makers are simply sticking with Android for now, if Digitimes is right.

The publication also noted that Microsoft's recent $300 million announcement in Barnes & Noble may have confused some tablet makers and raised concerns about Microsoft's content strategy for Windows 8.

Douglas Perry
32 Comments Comment from the forums
  • dudzcom
    Most brand vendors will not rush" to introduce Windows 8 tablets until Q4, the site wrote.

    ... Um, windows 8 is coming out in October, so duh.
    Reply
  • chaotixblade
    makes about enough sense, windows 8 .. is "revolutionary" more or less for the microsoft company, everyone else is just scoffing.
    Reply
  • jhansonxi
    dudzcomMost brand vendors will not rush" to introduce Windows 8 tablets until Q4, the site wrote.... Um, windows 8 is coming out in October, so duh.The OEMs have to finalize designs and get production ready long before retailers need them.
    Reply
  • killerclick
    I'm sure Metro is great for smartphones and tablets, but since Microsoft is insisting on infecting my PC with it, Metro has to die.
    Reply
  • Parsian
    screw tablet makers. WinIntel and top PC manufactuers have to focus on ultrabooks with tablet capabilities. Once they come out with reasonable price and style, tablets will become obsolete and pointless.
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    Why would they stick with Android 4.0? It obviously isn't selling. At least with Windows 8 they've got a chance to market to a tablet and desktop market.
    Reply
  • kartu
    Demand isn't overwhelming in Apple's world either (sharp drop in ipads sold).
    Reply
  • olaf
    kartuDemand isn't overwhelming in Apple's world either (sharp drop in ipads sold).
    that's because mostly everyone who would shell out 300+ Eu's for a table got one already and they are not looking to buy a new one next to the one they got.
    Reply
  • sykozis
    There's no reason to rush to get a Windows8 tablet on the market. It's not so much a matter of who has the best tablet as it is who has the most feature rich tablet. It doesn't make any difference if your tablet has the best looking UI and the fastest ARM processor in existance if it has no compatible software outside of the included bloat.

    I own a Windows Mobile phone (KinTwoM), a WP7 phone (HTC Trophy from Verizon) an Android 2.4 tablet and an Android 2.4 phone (Samsung Transform Ultra from Sprint). My WP7 device is much easier to use and considerably more responsive than my Android 2.4 phone. For my purposes, it's actually the better overall phone. Now, for someone that needs a phone that's fully customizable, it's not an option. All you can change is the Metro background color. If MS uses the same strategy of limiting customization on Windows8 for Tablets, it's unlikely to sell any better than WP7 devices. People looking to buy Android or Windows tablets aren't looking to be restricted like on iOS devices....which so far has been the approach used by Microsoft in the mobile market.
    Reply
  • ericburnby
    kartuDemand isn't overwhelming in Apple's world either (sharp drop in ipads sold).You mean like Apple capturing 55% of the tablet market in the holiday quarter, and then jumping up to capture 68% this last quarter? And the Kindle Fire getting 17% in the holiday quarter and dropping to only 4% last quarter.

    Of course, the fact that any quarter following a holiday quarter always results in lower sales doesn't mean anything. Or the fact that a new iPad announcement always causes a slow down in sales just before it's released have nothing to do with it.

    Apple's drop was perfectly normal. It's the Kindle Fire and other tablets that saw a horrible downturn in sales.
    Reply