Earlier this month, Dell reported a pretty chunky 72% fall in its profits for the last quarter, down to $204m on the back of relatively stable revenues of $14.5bn. The struggling PC market will no doubt have contributed to that, but despite this, Dell remains optimistic, particularly about its prospects in the enterprise sector.
According to Digitimes, Jeff Clarke, the company’s vice-chairman and president of its Global Operations and End User Computing Solutions unit, is enthusiastic about Windows 8.1, especially when it comes to targeting business customers.
Clarke is said to see considerable advantages in the security and device management aspects of Windows compared with iOS and Android – so much so, in fact, that he believes Windows 8.1 will become top dog in the enterprise PC space. New Windows tablets are promised before the end of the year, but Clarke did not elaborate on Dell’s plans.
Digitimes sources claim that at least two devices are en route, both with a clear enterprise focus. Following in the footsteps of the Acer Iconia W3 – the first ‘small’ Windows 8 tablet – Dell is reportedly preparing an 8-inch Windows 8 slate to be released later this year. Information on the second device is less clear; it’s said that Dell is “considering releasing a 10.6-inch Windows tablet”, with “either a Core i or Atom processor”.
With specific reference made to Windows 8.1, it seems safe to assume that neither tablet will launch before the updated OS is officially released on October 18.
Source: Digitimes | image via Dell