Now we have said before that both Google and Apple are concerned about the pending launch of Windows 8 and we stand by this still. Watching the actions of both Google and Apple is like watching a kid tell his buddies that he is not scared of something while saying he does not have to prove he is not scared.  Right now Google is in hot water with a number of regulatory agencies (much of which we suspect is due to their opposition to SOPA and PIPA last year) and are looking at having to split the ARM market with Microsoft in Q4 of this year. On top of that many Android users are frustrated with the impending launch of Android “5” this summer when many people have not even gotten Android 4.0 yet.

Google’s self-branded tablet is now delayed (possibly to allow it to ship with the next version of Android) until at least July. Things are just not looking all that great for Google while Microsoft plunges ahead with Windows 8 for ARM and x86.

On the Apple front we have watched numerous articles talking about how well liked Tim Cook is by his employees, how great things are at Foxconn, how wonderful the iPad is and oh year how Windows 8 is Microsoft “last gasp” These articles range from the well thought out to the inane in terms of the information they provide. Now we find out that Apple will finally be officially sued by the DOJ for price fixing along with multiple book publishers. Lest we forget Apple is still in a legal battle over the iPad trademark…

Again, we see (and hear from some of our sources) that Microsoft is gaining traction in the ARM tablet market with multiple manufacturers pledging to have Windows 8 tablets at launch time (Q4 this year). These tablets will be both x86/64 and ARM and to support all Windows 8 features many will have resolutions of at least 1366x768. Toshiba even released a 13.3-inch tablet that is getting slammed due to its size. What many who are looking at this tablet are missing is that it is meant for a new consumer base. Working as an IT consultant I have been asked on multiple occasions if there are tablets larger than 10.1 inch. Many doctors, lawyers, and other professionals need and want more screen space to work on. I have listened to complaint after complaint about viewing X-Rays on a 10.1 inch screen and needing to zoom and pan around to see details, this takes time and effort according to multiple doctors.  Increasing the resolution to 1600x900 AND adding 3.2 more inches to the screen is exactly what these people are looking for.  For some of the news sites to mock this shows either a lack of information on the markets they claim to cover or favoritism, we will let you decide which is actually going on.

We foresee Microsoft doing VERY well in both the ARM and x86/64 tablet market with Windows 8. Although we are not particularly fond of the OS and feel that the Metro UI and the plug-in free version of IE 10 is a joke many have already stated that they do like the new look and that having a similar experience on their home, work and mobile systems is exactly what they want (it is also what Apple is pushing for by the way). We will be eagerly awaiting the next round of apologist and attacking articles for both Google and Apple; when they hit we will dissect them and let you know what is really going on.

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