Acer Wants to Build a Windows Phone 8 Device, Fears It Won't Sell Well
Since even before the release of Windows 8, Acer has been one of the more outspoken critics of Microsoft's hardware strategy, especially as it pertains to Surface RT/Pro. As for smartphones, however, Acer's been a little more receptive, although it still isn't ready to make the jump into Windows Phone 8 territory.
It's not that Acer has a grudge against the platform. Just the opposite, Acer's VP of Smartphones, Allen Burnes, told TechRadar it thinks Windows Phone 8 is a "great OS." and that "everyone in our smartphone team would really like to deploy Windows OS." If that's the case, then what's stopping Acer?
"The way WP8 integrates in the rest of the Windows ecosystem is phenomenal, so yes we are looking at Windows Phone 8," Burnes told TechRadar. "Yes, we do believe in it, it just doesn't sell enough at this moment, otherwise we would deploy it this year."
Acer isn't taking a dig at Microsoft or Windows Phone 8, the company just wants to wait until there's more demand for the platform. As it stands, over 90 percent of smartphones around the world are rocking either Android or iOS. That makes it tough for OEM handset makers to want to jump feet first into WP8, though Microsoft has to find a way to convince them to do so.
"They can't rely on Nokia, which has its own challenges of rebuilding its brand, to do it for them," Burnes added.
It's not that Acer has a grudge against the platform. Just the opposite, Acer's VP of Smartphones, Allen Burnes, told TechRadar it thinks Windows Phone 8 is a "great OS." and that "everyone in our smartphone team would really like to deploy Windows OS." If that's the case, then what's stopping Acer?
"The way WP8 integrates in the rest of the Windows ecosystem is phenomenal, so yes we are looking at Windows Phone 8," Burnes told TechRadar. "Yes, we do believe in it, it just doesn't sell enough at this moment, otherwise we would deploy it this year."
Acer isn't taking a dig at Microsoft or Windows Phone 8, the company just wants to wait until there's more demand for the platform. As it stands, over 90 percent of smartphones around the world are rocking either Android or iOS. That makes it tough for OEM handset makers to want to jump feet first into WP8, though Microsoft has to find a way to convince them to do so.
"They can't rely on Nokia, which has its own challenges of rebuilding its brand, to do it for them," Burnes added.
