Windows President in Microsoft, Steven Sinofsky, previewed the next version of the Windows operating system that will likely premier in March 2012.
The radically revamped OS works on tablets with touch screens; runs on desktop and laptop computers with touchscreen, mouse or keyboards; runs existing Windows software and runs on both Intel and ARM chips.
Windows 8 is set to challenge the dominance of Apple’s iPad iOS and Google’s Android.
Sinofsky gave a preview of Windows 8 on a 10.6-inch touch-screen tablet during the AllThingsD’s D9 Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
A 30-minute demonstration was subsequently given at the Computex 2011 in Taiwan by Mike Angiulo, Microsoft corporate vice president.
In appearance, it resembles Windows Phone 7 – Microsoft’s operating system for smartphones – using “tiles” instead of icons to represent applications. The tiles on the computer’s start screen can be automatically updated to display the latest information from applications. For instance, a stock ticker app could display stock quotes right on the tile without requiring users to open the app.
Windows 8 will be the first full version of Windows capable of operating on ARM chips which has been the sole supplier of tablet CPUs since Apple launched its iPad in 2010.
Citing Jefferies Group, Bloomberg reports that the number of tablets sold globally will almost quadruple this year to 70 million units from 18 million in 2010. This will more than double to 158 million in 2012. Apple, which will control some 64 percent of the 2011 tablet market, will see its market share fall to 41 percent in 2012.
Sales rose 4.9 % to $20 billion, beating projections of $19.1 billion, based on data compiled by Bloomberg.
Profit excluding some items was US$8.75 a share, exceeding the US$8.08 average of estimates compiled by Bloomberg, and exceeding the US$6.79 a share from the quarter a year earlier.
