Microsoft Not Entering Tablet Sector 'Til Late '12

[exfileme]

Consumers won't see a Windows tablet until the start of the 2012-2013 school year.

Microsoft Not Entering Tablet Sector 'Til Late '12 : Read more

 

[NightLight]

you know what, that's just fine. take some time to prep a product, and watch where the competition takes it. i believe pads have a future in schools (mainly to replace books), or for travel purposes. beyond that, everybody will still have a main pc. laptops on the other hand will suffer.

 

[joytech22]

Remember what happened when they did this for WM7?

Your lucky if you find somebody with one of those phones, I myself haven't seen anyone yet and when I'm on the bus sometimes I hear one of those sounds the Android OS makes when you tap a icon.

BUT, after saying that I still agree with Night, taking their time is much better than rushing out a unfinished OS.

 

[JOSHSKORN]

I wonder if they're waiting to see if this is just going to be a fad and if it'll die.

 

[Guest]

I just can't fathom taking so long to do this. When Microsoft faced the Internet challenge represented by Netscape, Bill Gates completely transformed the company in months. The idea that in this even faster paced tech era, Microsoft can take years to make an entry? It is absolutely unfathomable - this is Windows Phone 7 all over again!

 

[K2N hater]

We don't want to be forced to install antivirus on tablets and lose precious battery time. So, take your time to make a safe OS.

 

[loudr1]

come on MS, you're waiting to long. its like the zune to the ipod all over again.

 

[falchard]

Anyone else puzzled by this article? Hasn't Microsoft been in the Tablet Market since 2004 with the TabletPC? Also isn't Windows 7 being used on some tablets? I think people can't get their head around the fact Microsoft is not a major player in Hardware. They are software people, and lets face it they own the software arena.

 

[caeden]

ya... I really dont think they will be that late to the tablet party. In fact, I dont think that the tablet market will really take off until Windows is on it. Why? Because schools will not move to it until there are cheap tablets that run windows. Most business run on MS software, and will not jump on something new until it supports Windows. And quite frankly the bulk of the mass users out there are scared of learning a new (and fairly awesome) OS like android. Until they see something they can recognize they will not move over. I'm not saying it is good or bad... I'm just saying that people will likely wait.

 

[caeden]

Let me also not that win8 is supposedly going to go multi-platform. Meaning the same core OS on your phone, tablet, netbook, laptop, and PC, all capable of sharing the same web hosted user-space with a different interface suited to each device. I don't know if win8 will really make it quite that far in reality, but that is the direction that MS is going in general (along with evil yearly licencing of their OS instead of purchasing so that everybody stays up to date, but we will see how people stomach that). Imagine having access to all of your files and programs on all of your devices at the same time... that would be something that no company or individual will easily say no to. Chrome is going that way as well. Whoever makes it first will be the real winner.

 

[mrmez]

And people say M$ just sit on their arse. Pffffttt!

 

[mrmez]

[citation][nom]caeden[/nom]ya... I really dont think they will be that late to the tablet party. In fact, I dont think that the tablet market will really take off until Windows is on it.[/citation]

Are you high?

To date Apple has sold some 15 million iPads. By years end they would have sold an additional 40 million. Even if sales stagnate over 2012, thats an estimate of some 100 MILLION units sold before M$ even sell ONE. If Apple makes $100 profit off every unit (im sure they make more), thats a 10 billion dollar head start.

Still, no big deal. Im sure 10 billion is like chump change these days.

Love or hate Apple, the tablet market is here right now. Its not taking-off, its already at altitude, full speed and they are smashing the competition. I seriously hope someone can smash Apple out of the water, but they have a devastating head start, competitive pricing, tremendous app store, and beautiful hardware.

Caeden, you would feel right at home working at M$, sitting on your hands all day watching the competition streak ahead.

 

[TEAMSWITCHER]

Well, Microsoft doesn't invent new products, they copy products and try to make them better, or leverage their dominance with Windows. Well, I gonna just say it - Windows sucks! They can't quickly port Windows to anything, its a piece of crap with the archaic system registry, SxS dlls,, bloated, and rotting - none of these things are present on the iPad. I think that 2012 is the optimistic estimate. By the time they fix all that is wrong with Windows, it will likely be 2014 before they have anything that is remotely good enough. Microsoft = Epic Fail.

 

[g-thor]

Poor MS. Damned if they do, damned if they don't. If they brought something to the market today, some would condemn it because it's from MS and they rushed to be part of the action. If they wait and make a product designed for the purpose, they're too slow and it will be garbage because it's MS.

Personally, I'll let MS manage its own affairs, but will keep an eye on it. This could be worth the wait (or switch over, as the case may be, when it arrives.)

Speaking of tablet computers, I heard an "expert" being interviewed, and he said that if you ask people about a tablet, the first name that comes to mind for most is Apple. Maybe he's right, but the first company I thought of was Toshiba, who started producing tablet computers long ago. Remember those? Notebooks with keyboards and a pivoting screen and stylus input - I'm waiting to see what Toshiba brings out now, with the new style of tablet.

 

[seboj]

Technically, the article states that "Microsoft" won't be entering the tablet scene until '12, meaning they won't be making their own slates until then.

There's nothing to stop other hardware vendors from creating slates using Win7 between now and then. The problem is getting people to buy them, considering Win7 has such a horrible touch UI / UX.

 

[back_by_demand]

Apple was 10 years late to the tablet party, Microsoft are just delaying their next move.

 

[back_by_demand]

[citation][nom]seboj[/nom]The problem is getting people to buy them, considering Win7 has such a horrible touch UI / UX.[/citation]
Swings & roundabouts - people will put up with the UI seeing as the OS is capable of doing so much more.

Exactly the same way that people put up with iOS being less capable just because the UI looks fancy.

It all comes down to user preference of looks vs worth - my personal preference is for my tablet to be able to install software I already own, and use my printer which isn't a special wifi one - was that too much to ask?

 

[eddieroolz]

I agree with many here - Microsoft should speed things up a bit. If not, then focus on making innovation elsewhere. Commercialize the Surface and beat Apple to it!

 

[Guest]

Thats cool but check out this article on The top 10 features that Windows 8 should offer businesses

http/www.windows8update.com/2011/03/28/the-top-10-features-that-windows-8-should-offer-businesses/