I’ve been saying that Windows isn’t a touch screen operating system for some time now, and I was hoping that Windows 8 would remedy that. However, Ryan Stevens has a similar outlook as mine, but also includes Windows 8. The success of the iPad has been due to the very simple OS and UI. It was built from the ground up to be a touch screen operating system, simple and efficient.
As much as I’d like to see Windows 8 succeed as a touch screen operating system, I think that manufacturer backing would need to be a priority at this time. Microsoft would need to take the same stance as it has with the Windows Phone 7, with all hardware having similar and minimum specifications and needed to be adhered to. Windows history and success depended on the fact that anyone could build a PC to run Windows. There are too many variables to contend with when building a PC or a notebook to keep a touch screen OS lean and efficient. If there were a single piece of hardware, I can guarantee that Microsoft could make an OS as good as or better than Apple’s iOS.
Will Windows 8 be Microsoft’s golden ticket into the tablet market? It has yet to be seen, but an all in one desktop/tablet/laptop operating system isn’t the answer for Microsoft. It needs to be a dedicated tablet OS, created from the ground up with no legacy support.