--Microsoft is requiring five chip makers to pair up with one computer hardware maker each to develop a tablet and a clamshell device, people familiar with the matter said.
--The move is seen as speeding up the time it takes to get tablets to the market; however, the plan limits what chip and hardware makers can do.
Acer president criticizes software giant for limiting partners for Windows 8
“We rely on the innovation that the industry brings forward,” he said in his presentation at Computex. He spoke highly of an “ecosystem” that is able to “expand and provide more capabilities.”
But Wong argued that Microsoft is effectively relegating a key member of that ecosystem to a less significant role.
He specifically cited Microsoft’s decision to give five chip makers — Intel Corp., Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) , Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD) , Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) and Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN) — the right to make the call on which manufacturers to work with. Furthermore, each chip maker will be able to work with only two manufacturers.
Wong described the situation as “very, very weird.”
“How can you disregard of the contribution from all these OEMs [manufacturers], all these technology partners,” he said. “These, combined with Intel and Microsoft, used to be representing the PC success. Now you try to change the whole game. That’s the thing that’s making a lot of difference.”
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