Computer manufacturers are unveiling the first big batch of devices running Windows 10 at the IFA home electronics show which opened in Berlin yesterday.
The PC industry has seen sluggish sales in recent years as consumers opt to spend their money on smartphones and tablets instead, so many companies are pinning their hopes for a revival in the market on the latest version of Microsoft Corp’s operating system.
Among them is Toshiba Corp, which launched its new Satellite Radius 12 this week, priced at 1,449 euros (US$1,627) in Europe.
The 12-inch laptop comes with a 4K screen designed to make the most of Windows 10’s graphics ability. It also features a special microphone and a dedicated button for Cortana — Microsoft’s voice-controlled digital assistant — as well as infrared cameras to utilize user facial recognition technology.
“We expect to see lots of new sales from October onward thanks to Windows 10,” Toshiba senior product manager Tony Alderson said.
The Japanese company also launched its new Satellite Click 10, with a screen that can be detached and used as a tablet. It, too, is optimized for Windows 10 and is to appear on shelves next month for about 499 euros.
Experts say the bet on Windows 10 could pay off, as consumers finally loosen their purse strings.
“The past few years, many people bought Android tablets instead of buying a new computer, but that market is saturated now,” said Rudolf Aunkofer, global director of IT at consumer research firm GfK.
“At the same time, laptops are getting quite old, so Windows 10 is likely to kick off a wave of replacements,” he said.
However, one problem for computer manufacturers is that Windows 10 is remarkably tolerant of old hardware and upgrades are free.
“Many people who have a computer that’s one to three years old will go for the free upgrade,” Aunkofer said.
“But there’s a big base of machines that’s five to seven years old and those will be replaced,” he said.
The trend is toward so-called two-in-one devices that can serve as laptops or tablets, such as the Satellite Click 10, or tablets with a separate keyboard, Aunkofer said.
Microsoft is urging software designers to embrace its Universal Application Platform, so that desktop software and apps designed for other operating systems run on Windows 10.
Microsoft’s OEM division vice president Nick Parker said the free upgrade for older Windows computers should help stimulate interest across devices, since it is designed to look the same on laptops, tablets and smartphones.
The same might be true for one of the low-cost educational computers launched at IFA this week. Acer Inc’s (宏碁) Aspire 1 Cloudbook is a fully functional PC selling for US$169, giving Windows 10 the chance to take back market share in the sub-US$200 segment from Google’s Chromebooks.
The Taiwanese company is also taking the traditional PC apart so users can put it back together again through the introduction of Revo Build, a module computer starting at under US$200 and shipping this quarter.
Users can add to the black base unit by attaching a dedicated graphics card, a sound block, a portable hard drive and even a power bank to wirelessly charge certain smartphones.
Tiny PCs powered by Google Inc’s Android have been around for a while, but Windows is increasingly entering that market.
At the IFA, Asustek Computer Inc’s (華碩) VivoStick PC is among the most impressive of its kind to feature Windows 10 in a stick the size of a dongle.
By plugging it into any modern television, the stick can be used as a computer. Aside from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4, 2GB of RAM and 32- GB of storage, it has the latest Intel Cherry Trail chip, two USB ports and an audio jack.
The VivoStick is to sell for US$129 when it hit stores.
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