Microsoft enters tablet market

Microsoft is no longer just a software company

Lead: US technology website CNET said on Friday that after Microsoft released Windows RT system, Microsoft and The relationship between hardware partners has changed, and Microsoft is becoming a "control mad". Microsoft partners are studying how to deal with Microsoft's changes.

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Microsoft is not willing to take risks. Windows RT is one of Microsoft's most important operating system versions, and Microsoft needs hardware partners to use the system to develop products against iPads and Android tablets.

Windows RT systems run on low-power ARM processors, which are commonly used in mobile phones. Microsoft has tightly controlled the development of Windows RT devices, and has held regular meetings with a number of companies in the development project, which largely determines the appearance of Windows RT products. Details decide everything. Microsoft even told a company that it should adjust the location of the "Home" button in the product. By clicking this button, the user will be able to switch between the Metro interface and the traditional desktop interface.

Executives from a hardware company who worked with Microsoft to develop Windows RT devices said: "We were asked to get approval for product design and development at multiple nodes. We can only agree, because this is a project that works with them. We have developed the products they want. & rdquo;

At the same time, Microsoft is also developing a proprietary tablet Surface, which will compete with partner products. Microsoft released Surface at a conference in Los Angeles last June. It wasn't until this conference that Microsoft told partners about the existence of Surface.

Another hardware company executive said: "We are shocked by what they have done." If you like, of course you can compete with us, but you need to have higher transparency, who is our friend, who is not. ”

There is no doubt that Microsoft's bet is big. As consumers move to mobile devices, Microsoft's key PC market is changing. In order to compete with iOS and Android systems and maintain high quality, Microsoft needs autonomous products. Microsoft is trying to imitate Apple and maintain relationships with hardware companies that have been working together for many years. This is not easy.

For PC vendors, this means that their relationship with Microsoft and consumers has changed dramatically. Next week, several PC makers are expected to release new products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Windows 8 products will be a major event, and Windows RT tablets may not be a lot.

What is the reason? This part is due to Microsoft's tight control of the development process, so far only a few vendors have been allowed to develop Windows RT tablets. In addition, the first batch of products was released at Microsoft's Windows 8 conference last October, not this year's CES, and Microsoft itself will not participate in CES this year. On the other hand, many companies are still evaluating strategies for the second batch of Windows RT tablets.

For PC makers, the new relationship with Microsoft is not pleasant, but they have no choice. The development of the Surface tablet shows that Microsoft can and will do it independently if necessary. Don't forget that Microsoft has released the very successful game console Xbox 360. And Microsoft has repeatedly complained that PC manufacturers have failed to come up with good hardware design to attract consumers.

CNET has reached out to 13 current executives and former executives in the PC industry to understand what happens to the relationship between PC vendors and Microsoft. Most PC executives refused to record, and Microsoft declined to comment on the report. These executives have different opinions about the new relationship with Microsoft, but they all agree that Microsoft is becoming more and more a “control mad” compared to the past.

Windows "Motion" &

Microsoft Windows is the world's most user-friendly operating system. According to Gartner, in 2012, a quarter of the world's PCs, tablets and phones used a certain version of Windows, while devices using Google Android and Apple iOS accounted for 10% and 6% respectively. However, Gartner expects this situation to change in the next few years. By 2016, the total number of Android devices is expected to exceed that of Windows devices.

Smartphones and tablets will be the main computing devices of the future, not the areas that Windows and other traditional PC vendors like HP and Dell are good at. The advantage of Microsoft is not mobile technology. X86 processors from Intel and AMD are widely used in desktop computers and notebooks, but due to the high power consumption, such processors are not suitable for mobile devices.

In order to solve this problem, Microsoft developed a special operating system Windows RT. The system runs on top of ARM processors, which are also used by most smartphones and tablets worldwide. On the other hand, Microsoft has also developed a new version of Windows 8 running on x86 processors.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said at a press conference last June that Microsoft has developed a new version of Windows for the known world, in which most computers are mobile. device. Microsoft's support for ARM processors has caused the company's relationship with Intel and AMD to crack, and forced PC vendors to rethink their strategy: focus on Windows 8, Windows RT, or both?

Dell's Windows RT product XPS 10

Windows RT is also known as “ARM version of Windows”. Compared with Windows 8, this operating system has defects, such as not supporting the previous Windows software, but also has some advantages, such as the realization of thin and light design.

Because Windows RT itself and the processor are very different, Microsoft clearly knows that PC vendors cannot be allowed to use the system at will. In recent years, the most successful products, such as Apple's iOS devices, come from tight integration of hardware and software. Therefore, Microsoft decided to adopt a similar approach to Apple.

Steve Sinofsky, former head of Windows business at Microsoft, said in a blog post last February that Windows PCs with ARM processors will create a new system that will allow PC makers to make the first Develop new products with different functions. He said Windows RT devices will focus on thin and light designs, longer battery life, and "whole quality" through closer collaboration between Microsoft and hardware vendors.

Sinowski said: "Our goal is to ensure that from the chipset to the way users interact with the PC, the new Windows brings seamlessness through firmware, software, operating systems and applications. Experience. This is a new level of participation, and the engineering development of all parties involved will rise to a new level. For the life of a PC, this new approach will bring unique choices, experiences, and a reliable end-to-end experience. & rdquo;

A hardware company executive pointed out that this means that the development of Windows RT devices is different from previous hardware vendors and Microsoft.

Microsoft has launched an "integrated development project" to pair ARM processors such as Nvidia, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments with up to two PC vendors to develop new Windows RT devices. “Integrated development project” is also applicable to Windows 8, and Intel has also cooperated with several PC vendors. However, Microsoft allows Intel to work with more tablet vendors because the development of Windows 8 tablets is not much different from previous Windows devices.

Therefore, PC vendors can hardly choose which chip company they will work with. Nvidia eventually partnered with Asus and Lenovo, Texas Instruments and Toshiba, while Qualcomm worked with Samsung and HP. It's hard to guess what kind of design consumers will ultimately choose, so every company needs to come up with differentiated elements to drive sales. A hardware company executive said it was like a horse race. Microsoft lets all companies participate in horse racing and see which company is the first to go online.

Microsoft is also closely involved in the product development process. A hardware company executive said that in addition to a large number of e-mails, Microsoft will hold a formal conference call to understand the weekly development progress. In addition, Microsoft holds personal technical meetings every month. If a company encounters difficulties in development, then Microsoft's synchronization with the company will become more frequent.

A number of Microsoft executives often hold meetings with various PC vendors and chip companies at Microsoft or PC headquarters to assess product development. Meetings typically include reports, discussions, and workshops, and the participating Microsoft staff include Steve Guggenheimer, who is the head of Microsoft OEM cooperation, and his team, as well as the Microsoft Wireless and Network team. Expert.

Microsoft has also developed a guideline on which components are available, including LAN modules, gyroscopes, and light sensors. In addition, Microsoft also strictly stipulates the size of the LCD panel.

Last year, Mike Angiulo, vice president of Microsoft's Planning and PC Ecosystems, said in a blog post that from chip to application, all aspects of collaboration will bring "new mobile experience and performance" Level & rdquo;. And if there is no technical and engineering cooperation, then this is not possible.

A hardware company executive said: "In order to be successful and improve quality, Microsoft does not want PC manufacturers to use 30 different audio chips and ensure that these chips are compatible. We have to agree with Microsoft's requirements for every component that involves software, that is, the components that need to be driven. & rdquo;

In some cases, PC vendors are forced to use more expensive processors and components. Some PC vendors pointed out that this made it difficult to differentiate products, and the final products also deviated from their expectations. A partner company said that Microsoft's requirements caused the final product to cost more than expected.