Microsoft and Windows are left out?

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No Traces

For more than a decade, Microsoft has been the leader of CES. But since its announcement in 2013, the company has almost completely disappeared from this industry show this year: during CES 2014, the biggest news about Microsoft was Alan · Alan Mulally refused to be the CEO.

Since Microsoft is no longer exhibiting, the task of promoting Windows 8 falls to its hardware partners. However, the absence of the new Windows PC has become a major focus this year, especially the lack of eye-catching new products. Due to the lack of new products and the lack of booths, Microsoft and its platforms are almost invisible.

Although Microsoft did not officially participate in CES last year, the company's CEO Steve · Steve Ballmer still stood on the Qualcomm booth. Not only that, but Microsoft also held a press conference with Samsung to showcase the Illumiroom concept technology. This year, Microsoft sent executives such as Julie · Julie Larson-Green and Terry Myerson to Las Vegas to partner with partners and OEMs. Meet privately. However, most of the products at this year's show are optimized for iOS and Android, and there are only a handful of products developed for Windows and Windows Phone.

Although Apple and Google have not personally participated in this year's show, a wide range of third-party products have become their spokespersons. Obviously, Microsoft has been marginalized. Although CES has emerged in recent years as ultra-thin netbooks such as Yoga and ThinkPad Helix, it is difficult to find a star notebook or hybrid this year. After Windows 8.1, Surface 2 and a series of new hardware were selected for the Christmas shopping season, PC makers have apparently paused and did not take much risk on this year's CES.

Dell and Hewlett-Packard did not showcase consumer-related hardware at CES 2014. Sony just shrank the existing Flip PC to 11 inches, and Toshiba introduced two cumbersome 4K notebooks. Although other companies are striving for stability, Lenovo and Asus have launched some new attempts. Lenovo introduced a new 8-inch ThinkPad 8 tablet, and ASUS has launched an 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet with Wacom and a Transformer Book Duest compatible with Android.

But there is no real innovation, and as Windows faces more and more challenges in 2014, PC makers are also considering the prospects of the Windows 8 hybrid. “I think that many manufacturers are likely to give up their notebooks because sales are not up to expectations. Therefore, they may reduce their investment in this product and move to develop tablets and other devices. "Marks research company Directions on Microsoft analyst Weiss · Wes Miller said.

Industry Trends

This year's CES may indicate that it is difficult to develop a perfect hybrid, or that many companies are beginning to shift their focus to other areas. Since the release of Windows 8, Lenovo, the global leader in the PC industry, has been promoting the platform at CES, but it is hard to say whether this trend will continue in the future. Since HP, Dell and Acer have not introduced new consumer hardware at CES 2014, I am afraid that Computex will not see a new wave of Windows PCs in June, and the products on display at CES are unlikely to The next year will set a too big tone.

Toshiba is the only PC vendor that still wants to showcase future trends. The company launched a five-in-one variant PC, but it was too cumbersome and apparently not ready to go public. But Toshiba is still at least trying the idea of ​​Windows Hybrid. However, how to develop a hybrid product of notebooks and tablets without compromise is still a challenge, and no PC manufacturer has been able to overcome it.

As notebooks continue to heat up and continue to erode notebook sales, more and more people are beginning to replace their notebooks with tablets. Miller said, "Pictures put the portability, weight, performance and price point together properly, so many people who would have bought notebooks because of performance, and instead chose a tablet. And in order to enjoy better shape and flexibility, they are even willing to make some compromises. ”

If there is no new product released on CES, it may not be enough to alert Microsoft. But the entire 2014 trend may be bad for Microsoft. Since Pebble, Nest and various fitness wristbands do not support Windows devices, the entire industry is gradually giving up Microsoft's platform. In 2013, for Windows 8 and its hardware, there may be some inconsistencies. But the trend in 2014 is already clear: PC makers will choose a safer way to make Windows and Microsoft into a real dilemma.