PC makers Hewlett-Packard and Dell are turning to Windows 8 as their next tablet operating system, thanks to fierce competition in the Android tablet market spurred most recently by Amazon’s Kindle Fire.
With the iPad dominating the field at more than 70 percent of the tablet market, and Amazon starting the Android price wars at a low $199, it makes sense that HP and Dell would turn to Windows 8 and try to carve out a new niche.
At Dell World 2011 in Texas last week, Dell CEO Michael Dell said the Android opportunity hasn’t developed to expectations, but a wide range of Windows 8 products is planned, according to the The Inquirer.
Windows 8 boasts a new touch-friendly interface that’s ideal for tablets. A tablet running Windows 8 may also better complement your home or office computer setup, since Windows 8 promises a streamlined experience across tablets, laptops, and desktops.
Dell will most likely target its Windows 8 tablets to business users, but I could see the appeal of the tablet for home and personal use as a secondary device if you’re a Windows laptop or desktop user. The success of the Windows 8 tablets, as with the rest of the tablet market, however, may come down to price and timing (The Motorola Xoom Android tablet recently got a price cut, but it seems too little, too late).
Digitimes reports that HP and Dell are expected to launch their Windows 8-based tablets in the third quarter of 2012.
