Windows 8 is going to be a big focus for Intel in the next year, according to a speech from the company"s CEO Paul Otellini. News.com reports that Otellini, speaking at the Intel Capital Global Summit, said that Microsoft"s next PC operating system will also be of great importance to Intel as it continues to promote its thin and light ultrabooks notebook design to PC makers.
The Metro-style touch interface for Windows 8 will be a major part of Intel"s push for the ultrabooks design which was first introduced in May. The first notebooks that incorporated Intel"s concept started shipping last month. For 2012, Otellini hinted that the next generation of ultrabooks would have touch screens. He stated, "Starting with Windows 8, you have a mainstream operating system incorporating touch. Our view is that in the ultrabook lines, touch is a pretty critical enabler. When users see that new Windows interface, they"re going to want to touch it. If the screen does nothing, you have disappointed [the] consumer."
Intel is trying to get PC makers to reduce the prices of their own ultrabooks by offering up a special fund designed to give companies some help in cutting down supply costs. Otellini said, "To hit the volume price points, we need to span $699 and up, and that"s the goal for next year."
The first such notebooks that used Intel"s ultrabook design have received mixed reviews so far but perhaps the new touch screen versions, combined with Windows 8 might be more attractive to consumers and technology critics.