14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has decided to go all in on touch-capable devices, and Windows 8 is nothing more than the living proof, as most of its features have been specifically optimized for such units.
Even though adoption was rather disappointing at first, it now appears that touch-capable units are gaining traction, as more customers are now willing to make the move to such technology.
Speaking to CNET, Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at the NPD Group, explained that touch devices had performed unbelievably well in August, with notebooks featuring this kind of tech now accounting for 30 percent of all sold Windows 8 laptops.
Ever since Windows 8 came out, Microsoft has constantly praised touch-capable units, explaining that this form is input is only the beginning of a broader range of improvements that PCs, laptops, and tablets will get over the next five to ten years.
Microsoft’s researcher Shahram Izadi said in October that Windows 8 allowed Microsoft to continue developments in this field, and the company is already looking beyond touchscreens in order to provide customers with more control over their devices and features.
“Touch is the beginning; we are talking about natural interaction and ultimately about new modalities of interaction beyond mouse and keyboard,” the Microsoft researcher said.
“Think about early work multi touch: it was in the early 1980s with people like [Microsoft’s] Bill Buxton and others. It took at least 20 years for the consumer and product world to catch up with that research. Doug Engelbart, when he invented the mouse, it took about 20 years to become commercialised,” Izadi said.
Windows 8.1 is said to continue Microsoft’s developments in the touch industry, with the OS update to feature plenty of improvements aimed at this kind of devices.
The tech giant has significantly improved touch performance for Windows RT tablets, while also making the new Modern UI much more responsive for all types of devices.