can't do productive stuff' debate was
over, Microsoft co-founder and
Chairman Bill Gates, has fired fresh
salvos at the world's best selling
tablet.
During an interview with CNBC,
speaking on the declining PC market,
Gates said that people using iPad-like
devices were frustrated because "they
can't type, create documents, and
don't have Office." He said that
tablets were becoming more popular
and that the line between PCs and
tablets was becoming thinner.
He also praised the Surface,
Microsoft's own tablet, for integrating
the "portability of the tablet with the
richness of the PC."
Microsoft launched Windows RT in
October 2012, along with the Surface
tablet ( Review). The software runs on
a few tablets from other
manufacturers as well. Windows RT is
designed to run on phone-style chips,
of the kind used in the iPad, rather
than PC-style chips, which tend to use
more energy and require bigger
batteries. Using Windows RT means
the tablets can be thinner and lighter,
but it also means regular Windows
programs won't run on Windows RT.
That's caused some confusion and
limited the appeal of Windows RT,
analysts say.
However, the market response to
Microsoft's Windows RT powered
tablets has been anything but good.
Researchers at IDC said
manufacturers shipped 200,000
tablets running Windows RT, the
special version of Windows for iPad-
style tablets, in the January to March
period, down from about 900,000
shipped in the fourth quarter.
It's worth pointing out that Apple still
remains the top tablet seller although
Android tablets are showing increased
presence thanks to low cost devices
from Asian sellers. Tablet shipments
reached 49.2 million units in the
January-to-March period, according to
IDC. Apple's iPads accounted for 19.5
million units out of these. Android
tablets accounted for 56.5 percent of
shipments in the March quarter,
compared to 39.6 percent for iPads.
Tablets running Microsoft's new
Windows and Windows RT platforms
accounted for 3.7 percent of total
shipments.
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