Samsung Exec Blames Windows 8 for Lackluster PC Sales
According to the Korea Times, Samsung memory chip division president Jun Dong-soo is none too fond of Windows 8, and he blames the industry’s sagging PC sales in part on Microsoft’s latest operating system and its failure to excite the buying public.
To hammer the point home, Dong-soo went as far as comparing Windows 8 to one of Microsoft’s more infamous failures: “The global PC industry is steadily shrinking despite the launch of Windows 8. I think the Windows 8 system is no better than the previous Windows Vista platform.” Ouch. He also took a shot at the Surface tablet, noting the lukewarm demand for the Microsoft-built device. (Samsung has actually cancelled its version of a Windows RT tablet in the U.S. and Germany because of low demand.)
He has a point. Windows 8 has had a mixed reception, and although the new OS works well with a touchscreen device, it can be quite maddening to even experienced Windows users on the desktop. However, Dong-soo took his dour assessment a bit too far, telling the Korea Times that he thinks the PC industry will eventually fade away altogether.
Still, with that outlook, it’s no wonder that he and Samsung are looking at putting more resources into mobile chips, where the company’s Galaxy product line is flourishing. Case in point: The release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 next week is generating as much buzz as the iPhone did a few years ago.
To hammer the point home, Dong-soo went as far as comparing Windows 8 to one of Microsoft’s more infamous failures: “The global PC industry is steadily shrinking despite the launch of Windows 8. I think the Windows 8 system is no better than the previous Windows Vista platform.” Ouch. He also took a shot at the Surface tablet, noting the lukewarm demand for the Microsoft-built device. (Samsung has actually cancelled its version of a Windows RT tablet in the U.S. and Germany because of low demand.)
He has a point. Windows 8 has had a mixed reception, and although the new OS works well with a touchscreen device, it can be quite maddening to even experienced Windows users on the desktop. However, Dong-soo took his dour assessment a bit too far, telling the Korea Times that he thinks the PC industry will eventually fade away altogether.
Still, with that outlook, it’s no wonder that he and Samsung are looking at putting more resources into mobile chips, where the company’s Galaxy product line is flourishing. Case in point: The release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 next week is generating as much buzz as the iPhone did a few years ago.
