Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Microsoft (MSFT) Says Tablets May Not Have Future

Even though Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is developing a version of Windows 7 for tablets, Craig Mundie, Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer, says he doesn't see much of a future for the devices.

“I think there’s an important distinction–and frankly one we didn’t jump on at Microsoft fast enough–between mobile and portable,” he said. “Mobile is something that you want to use while you’re moving, and portable is something that you move and then use. These are going to bump into one another a little bit and so today you can see tablets and pads and other things that are starting to live in the space in between. Personally I don’t know whether that space will be a persistent one or not.”

There is no doubt in the short-term tablets are and will be a hit, but once the initial newness wears off it'll be at that time we'll know whether or not Mundie is right.

As for the Microsoft tablet platform, it won't be released until the fall of 2012, suggesting they think it'll be around at least for awhile.

Microsoft was trading at $25.66, gaining $0.17, or 0.67 percent, as of 2:42 PM EDT.

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