While we have known that Windows 8 has been relatively unsuccessful it has been documented that Windows RT has been even more unsuccessful. Now according to a report by the Digitimes it has been so unsuccessful that Microsoft’s partners are “rebelling” and refusing to use the tablet orientated operating system. Most of Microsoft’s partners have refused to develop any Windows RT based products at all and so it seems that the only Windows 8.1-based RT tablet you will be able to buy will be courtesy of Microsoft’s Surface.
Digitimes claims in speaking with insiders from “the upstream supply chain” they have also come to the conclusion that the Windows Phone OS may suffer a similar fate and several smartphone/mobile vendors have already delayed their handsets running these operating suystems by quite some time.
This leaves Microsoft in a situation where Windows RT uptake will be so low that the only financially viable situation would be to retire it as it would cost too much to maintain an OS for such a small number of users. Furthermore unless Nokia’s fortunes take a huge positive turn it is also likely that the Windows Phone OS will die out too as it is currently dominated by Android and iOS. What’s more on Microsoft’s native platform, the desktop PC, Windows 8 is failing to spark much interest and Windows 8.1 may not be enough to revive Windows 8 according to some analysts like IDC.
Microsoft is thus left in quite a difficult situation, let’s see if they can pull anything out of the bag at their BUILD developer conference in San Francisco on June 26th.
Image courtesy of Microsoft
Their Windows RT Surface tablets are far too expensive to start with. I’m not surprised it’s in decline.
Exactly!! The asking price was way too high compared to equivalent android devices.
I made this prediction in December last year http://www.branedy.net/?p=2337 It was dead from it’s inception.
Everyone knows that it was coming. Thanks to two reasons: bad GUI than android and higher component price of the RT running tab (i.e. surface)