For Microsoft, Windows 8 was supposed to bridge the gap between traditional PCs and the growing tablet market. The operating system was designed to run smoothly on tablets, sporting a tile-based home screen. Microsoft also sold manufacturers on the idea that customers would love the Windows 8 interface so much that they would want touchscreens in both their PC monitors and laptop displays.
It’s been clear for months now that Windows 8 failed to spur growth in the traditional PC market. More recently, it has also become apparent that the Windows 8 OS was not enough to save Microsoft’s underperforming Surface tablets. Now, touchscreen manufacturers are predicting that touchscreens on laptops have not become the hit Microsoft and its partners had hoped.
DigiTimes today reported that orders for touch panels used in notebook computers are expected to soften in the second half of 2013. The report’s unnamed “industry sources” stated that this is despite large price drops for panels during the first half of 2013. Touchscreen notebook adoption is only predicted to hit around 10% by the end of this year.
The report mentions Windows 8 specifically as a disappointment for manufacturers, who had hoped the OS would open up a new market segment. The low demand, combined with pricing wars between Chinese manufacturers, means that notebook manufacturers are now rumored to be releasing their 2013 holiday products later than expected.
(via DigiTimes)