The company still has big expectations from its tablet operating system

May 8, 2013 09:52 GMT  ·  By

One of the reasons behind Windows RT’s slow start is Microsoft’s failure to educate customers on the differences versus the full-featured Windows 8, Windows boss Julie Larson-Green said during the Wired Business Conference.

Larson-Green admits that Microsoft needs to work closer with partners to emphasize the key features of Windows RT, as well as the lack of support for traditional desktop software.

“I think we have some work to do on explaining it to people because it’s different,” Larson-Green was quoted as saying by TechCrunch.

“They’re just so used to Windows meaning backward compatibility in all the programs that you use today. I use Surface RT as my main computing device, I connect to a corporate network using my virtual smart card and VPN when I need to, Office is already on there [...] it’s just a simpler experience and then the Surface Pro has the flexibility if you want to work on the details.”

Microsoft has reportedly sold 900,000 Surface tablets, according to a report released by IDC, most of which have been Pros. The Surface RT, on the other hand, is still trailing behind the other tablets on the market, even though it was officially released in October 2012.