Wintel-based tablet PCs may see their prices go as high as US$599-899 due to Intel and Microsoft both being unwilling to drop their related hardware and software quotes, and as a result, it could push consumers from wanting to purchase the devices, according to sources from notebook vendors.
As for Intel and Microsoft, the sources pointed out that Intel and Microsoft are also struggling since if Microsoft drops its Windows 8 and Intel drops its Clover Trail-W prices, although the strategy could help raise Wintel-based tablet PC's market share, it could also seriously damage pricing in the PC market and bring down their gross margin performance.
As for notebook vendors, if Intel does not reduce its Clover Trail-W platform prices, the vendors are likely to choose ARM solutions from Nvidia, Qualcomm and Texas Instrument's (TI's) for their upcoming Windows 8 tablet PC to reduce their costs.
Despite Google recently releasing an updated version of its Android 4.0 that has made several improvements to help attract players such as Asustek Computer, Lenovo and Samsung Electronics to launch quad-core tablet PCs based on it, as Apple is already set to launch its next-generation iPad in March, non-Apple players are unlikely to win any advantages, the sources noted.
Для сравнения: стоимость iPad2 начинается с суммы $499. Кто-то еще верит хоть в какое-то будущее планшетов с Windows 8?
