Mashable: “Microsoft will release a tablet-oriented version of Windows no sooner than 2012, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Despite Steve Ballmer’s bombastic statements in July last year, when he said Microsoft is “hardcore†about tablets and that we can expect “a lot†of Windows-based tablets by the end of 2010, none of the tablets that actually did hit the stores made any significant impact on the market.
The reasons for this are quite clear: Windows 7 simply isn’t optimized for use with modern tablets with finger-based input. Remember the long, painful transition from Windows Mobile 6 to Windows Phone 7? Once again, it will take time for Microsoft to deliver the user experience it needs to be able to compete with Apple’s iOS and Google’s Honeycomb.â€
While the tablet PC may not be dead, it’s certainly on life support. The lack of a significant “Windows†presence in the new tablet market is troubling to say the least. I use a tablet PC nearly every day and for the life of me can’t figure out why Microsoft hasn’t taken a different approach to this market. Apple is kicking the crap out of them, as are Android tablet makers Motorola and Samsung. Why? Because Microsoft isn’t making tablets that people are interested in using.