14 DAY TRIAL // Back in mid-2013 when Microsoft officially announced the Windows 8.1 OS update, the company also promised that its revamped modern platform would also stir up interest in tablets and other touchscreen-capable devices.
The reason, Redmond said at that time, was pretty simple: Windows 8.1 was designed to improve the overall experience on such tablets and hybrids, so consumers would have no reason to buy such units.
Now it turns out that demand for Windows 8.1 hybrids is indeed increasing, according to a report by Digitimes and citing channel retailers.
Asus, for example, expects sales of hybrids running Windows 8.1 to go all the way up to 12 million units, even though the manufacturer admits that notebook shipments could be affected.
This could only be terrific news for Microsoft, the company that invested millions of dollars not only to make Windows 8.1 a much better product than the core Windows 8 OS, but also to work with partners on new devices.
One of the strategies that Microsoft has worked on before the launch of Windows 8.1 was pretty much inspired by what happened before Windows 8 got to see daylight.
Redmond promised earlier this year that the launch of Windows 8.1 would also bring a new avalanche of products running this particular OS version, which would basically mean that manufacturers would get another chance to capitalize on the arrival of a new modern platform developed by Microsoft.
The tech giant itself tried to boost sales of Windows 8.1 devices by launching several commercials and promos via its website and media channels, in an attempt to show the advantages of switching to a Windows tablet or hybrid.
At the same time, Microsoft brought its very own Windows 8.1 devices to the market, launching a revamped Surface generation that runs both the RT and the Pro version of the OS version. The tablets are up for grabs right now, but as usual, the company remains tight-lipped on their sales performance.