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Microsoft defends Windows RT, says it'll get better with time

Microsoft hasn't been having such an easy time with Windows RT, facing continual issues with OEMs and having to deal with slow sales of their Surface RT tablet. Not only that, but people have criticized the platform for failing to show its value over Windows 8 - which allows for backwards compatibility with traditional x86 desktop apps - as many full Windows 8 tablets are priced similarly to Windows RT machines.

In an interview with CNET, Microsoft's corporate VP of Windows Planning, Hardware & PC Ecosystem Michael Angiulo has defended Windows RT, saying that the platform will get better with time.

It was a ton of work for us and we didn't do the work and endure the disruption for any reason other than the fact that there's a strategy there that just gets stronger over time.

Looking at things now like power performance and standby time and passive [fanless] form factors. When we launched Windows 8, it was really competitive with a full-sized iPad. A lot of that was made possible by the ARM [chip] architecture.

Angiulo also said that ARM-based Windows tablets have a "very bright future", as the performance of ARM chipsets will drastically improve in the next few years as more features are added. He also defended the Windows Store-app-only model, highlighting how easy it is to switch between Windows RT devices when all the apps are located in the Store.

People are talking about legacy desktop software not running, but they don't think about the customer benefit of only running modern apps. [...] Let's say you drop that PC in a pool. Well, you get a new one and then you just redownload [the apps]. That's the kind of model people are used to with a phone or tablet today. I can maintain all the apps in the [Microsoft] Store and reset with a single switch.

So, on Windows RT, the user experience stays consistent over time. That's a big benefit. And as the number of apps grow in the store, that value promise only gets stronger.

He also highlighted the power advantages of an ARM-based tablet in comparison to an Intel-powered device, stating that ARM chips are much more power efficient in connected standby, allowing for longer battery life. However, Intel's Bay Trail platform, which is scheduled for release later this year, is said to bring lower power consumption, longer battery life and better performance to Windows 8 tablets, which could still make Windows RT devices a hard sell.

Source: CNET | Image via Microsoft

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