Microsoft clearly wants Windows 8 to be used as the operating system for a new generation of tablets devices. A new rumor from Digitimes claims via unnamed sources that both HP and Dell are planning on creating tablets with Windows 8 inside. The report says that the tablets could be launched as early as the third quarter of 2012 which gives us a rumored target date for the launch of Windows 8 itself.
The report claims that some vendors have recently been looking to Windows 8 as an alternative for a tablet OS to avoid competition with other similar tablets, especially since Amazon announced its Android-powered $199 Kindle Fire product in September. The story claims that other PC makers like Acer, Asus and Lenovo are still expected to release tablets with the Android OS, with no word yet on if they will try out Windows 8.
Microsoft famously gave out tablets made by Samsung at last month's BUILD conference with the developer's preview version of Windows 8. Samsung has also confirmed that its current Windows 7-based Series 7 Slate will be upgradable to Windows 8 when it is launched. There are also rumors that HTC is developing its own Windows 8-based tablet.
If the third quarter 2012 launch date for the Dell and HP tablets is true, that also means that we are less than a year away from the launch of Windows 8 itself. That would imply that Microsoft is prepping the OS to be launched in time for tablets, notebooks and PCs to use it well before the holiday shopping season.
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