Prices Of Windows Tablets And Phones To Be Reduced By Microsoft
The vice president of the OEM partners of Microsoft, Nick Parker, announced during the Computex Asia trade event that the prices of Windows tablets will be reduced to the $100 to $300 range.
Parker revealed that the seven-inch, eight-inch and ten-inch tablets of the company will have a more competitive price in the market. He said the market will be surprised with the prices the devices will be offered in the market. In addition to its tablet offerings, the smartphones of the company will also have a cheaper price.
Parker also added that the cost of the handsets of the company will be less than $200 in a number of markets for this year. The reduction in the prices of Windows tablets may allow Microsoft to attract more consumers from the iPad as well as cheaper Android-powered tablets.
The Google Nexus 7 has a price tag of around $200 while the Amazon Kindle Fire 7 is priced at $139. On the other hand, Windows tablets with similar features have a much bigger price tag. Although the Microsoft Surface 2 is priced at $900, it offers more features and a bigger memory compared to the standard tablet using the Windows 8 OS.
However, it may take more than a price cut for the tablets from Microsoft to attract more customers. It will be a major challenge for Microsoft to make consumers opt to purchase a Windows 8 tablet instead of an Android-powered device or iPad.
Although the market for the Windows Phone has expanded recently, it still has a lot of ground to cover in order to catch up with Android and Apple devices.
The company revealed last April that it may offer Windows free of charge to manufacturers offering tablets and phones with screens of less than nine inches. This move may allow manufacturers to lower the prices of Windows tablets and phones.