MADRID, 4 Jun. (portaltic/EP) -
Microsoft is planning to offer discounts to manufacturers to favor and boost the growth of Windows RT. The company will downgrade its tablet software in order to cope with stiff competition from Apple and Android.
A source close to Microsoft has revealed to Bloomberg that these changes are motivated by the reluctance of manufacturers to adopt the Windows RT system in their devices.
Global device makers such as Hewlett-Packard or HTC are avoiding the system, leaving a shortage in machine stores with this software and leaving Windows RT with less than a percentage point of market share in the first quarter, compared with 40 percent for Apple, IDC reports.
"You need more volume from the equipment manufacturers that make the devices, you need to lower prices, you need better selection of the devices," said analyst Wes Miller.
To the problems to give exit to RT is added the existence of a more complete and powerful version, that of Windows 8. It is difficult to cope with better software from the same company if you take into account that there are currently 'tablets' with Windows 8 at a fairly affordable price and the features it offers are better than with Windows RT.
MANUFACTURERSManufacturers remain suspicious. In the case of HTC, it scrapped plans to introduce a full-size tablet with RT due to concerns that it would meet low demand. In the case of Hewlett-Packard it also has no plans to make a device with Windows RT, while Samsung, which if it developed a tablet with this software, chose not to sell it in many markets and has said that they do not know if they will create a successor.
Acer pos its part has announced the creation of a device with Windows 8 and another with Android but staying away from RT as they consider it "immature". Instead Dell is working on a 'tablet' with these features and HTC is advancing its plans to launch a 7-inch device with this operating system and therefore could benefit from discounts.
Finally a year ago Asutek unveiled a device with Windows RT and Toshiba announced two prototypes that were finally suspended due to delays in the supply of components.
MORE IMPROVEMENTSThe improvements are not only reflected in the price. Microsoft is working on improvements to Windows RT. These include allowing the operating system to work on smaller devices that can compete with Apple's iPad mini, Amazon's Kindle Fire and Google's Nexus One.
Microsoft has also taken steps to improve the features of Windows RT, including the email tools it used to replace the popular outlook, when users complained that it was straightforward and lacked features.
The advances in low-power technology that Intel is carrying out, can make Windows RT even better in the market of small form factor tablets.
Microsoft has not yet given data on how much they could lower the price, since according to the sources it is confidential information. Still, it is clear that the effort for manufacturers to trust this software again will be noticed in an attempt to relaunch RT.
Related Links
- Bloomberg.
