HTC might have cancelled its rumoured R12 Windows RT tablet plans according to reports.
Bloomberg claims to have heard from ‘people familiar with the matter’ who have said that HTCs plans were cancelled due to what it perceives as weak demand for larger 10-inch size slates powered by Microsoft’s ARM-based operating system.
Previous rumours pointed to HTC developing two devices, the R7 and the R12 as 7-inch and 12-inch tablets respectively, both were reportedly going to launch with Windows Blue, the forthcoming Windows build which is set to unify more features and services across Microsoft’s mobile platforms.
A report from the IDC showed that while sales of Windows 8 licences for PCs have been relatively strong, a mere 200,000 Windows RT tablets had sold in Q1 of 2013. Currently the only tablets which are available are in the 10-inch form factor, but Microsoft did reveal that Windows Blue is set to support resolutions which would accommodate 7-inch displays. Several companies are thought to be making 7-inch Windows tablets, including Microsoft and Acer.
According to the reports, it’s thought HTC has not scrapped its plans for the 7-inch R7 device, which is pegged to arrive this year. It’s also been suggested that the relatively high cost of producing the larger form tablet may have sealed its demise as it would have been expensive to manufacture and this would have passed a cost to the consumer which was considered unfavourable in the current market.
Bloomberg reiterates the previous rumours that HTC’s Windows slate will be powered by a Qualcomm processor. The earlier report suggested a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 with 2GB of RAM. Onboard storage is thought to be 16GB with support for microSD and the tablet could have a 13-megapixel camera, 4G, HSPA+, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if rumours prove true.
The HTC R7’s initial rumours said it would not feature NFC, DLNA or HDMI connectivity as was planned for the R12 in order to keep costs down, but the tablet is thought to have a Full HD resolution display. October 13 has been suggested as a possible launch date, though HTC has refused to comment on the rumours.
by pbriden via Featured Articles
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