Windows 8 coming too late for tablet computers

Microsoft’s Windows 8 software may be released too late for tablet computers, a Forrester Research analyst has commented.

Analyst JP Gownder has written on the company’s blog that “on tablets, Windows 8 is going to be very late to the party”.

“[Windows 8 on tablets is] (at best) a fifth-mover after iPad, Android tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab, HP’s now-defunct webOS tablet, and the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.”

“While Windows’ product strategists can learn from these products, other players have come a long way in executing and refining their products – Apple, Samsung, and others have already launched second-generation products and will likely be into their third generation by the time Windows 8 launches.”

Gownder says new entries into the market, such as the Kindle Fire and the Nook, have also hurt Microsoft by giving consumers more choice.