Though Windows 8 is slated for a Fall 2012 release, we may get our first official taste of it next week. Samsung is reportedly building a new tablet based on the Windows 8 operating system, which is set to be unveiled at Microsoft’s BUILD developers’ conference. The conference will be held September 13-16 in Anaheim, California.
According to the Korea Economic Daily source (as relayed by the AFP), “this new product manufactured by Samsung will be the company’s first collaboration with Microsoft in its hardware devices.” ThisIsMyNext speculates that Samsung may give the device away to attendees based on an earlier statement by Microsoft, and also suggests that NVIDIA’s new Kal El quad-core processor may be tucked away inside the Samsung slate.
Samsung’s extension into Windows turf is likely a product of two things. First, the Googorola deal. Samsung will probably remain a heavily Android-based hardware developer, but a little diversity can’t hurt. Motorola is one of Samsung’s largest competitors both with smartphones and tablets (ish) and their new-found agreement with Google is hardly comforting. Secondly, Apple is on a patent-propelled rampage, looking to kill Samsung as a rival manufacturer, and Android as a rival OS.
If Samsung continues to build glossy black, 10-inch tablets in rectangular form, it still may not be able to circumvent Apple’s Community Design 000181607 for the iPad. At least not in Apple’s opinion. Still, the more distance between Samsung and Android, the less attractive Samsung becomes as a target for Apple.
As far as Windows 8 goes, here’s what we know so far: There will be a new interface, which will include Windows Phone-style live tiles and replace the standard “Start” menu. Windows 8 will be backwards compatible with all Windows 7-compatible hardware and software, and support tablets and all-in-ones alongside laptops and desktops. Unfortunately, that’s all we have for now, but we’ll probably have plenty more where that came from after BUILD next week.