Acer and Microsoft go a long way. Both companies have had a long collaboration, with the Taiwanese technology company bringing to market several products carrying Microsoft software.
But ever since Microsoft announced the development of Windows 8 (and with it Surface RT), Acer has been criticizing Microsoft regularly in the media, with several company officials expressing their discomfort at the Redmond giant’s foray into the hardware realm.
It was the same old song at the recently concluded CES (Consumer Electronics Show). This time it was Acer’s President, Jim Wong who shared his thoughts on Windows 8. Speaking to AllThingsD he said:
“The promotion of the product is really focused on the keyboard, and the users really don’t know how to maximize the touch experience. It was disappointing, but we have to work closely with Microsoft to get customer feedback on what works and what doesn’t.”
Acer’s Chief Marketing Officer, Michael Birkin, on the other hand believes that it was an erroneous decision to launch and promote both Windows 8 and Surface RT at the same time:
“There was just a lot of messaging coming out at the same time: Windows 8, Surface, RT.”
These comments follow Acer’s CEO badmouthing last October (around the time Microsoft brought both new products to the market and launched an extensive marketing campaign), where he criticized Microsoft’s efforts in the hardware industry.
CEO JT Wang believed Microsoft was deliberately being aggressive, and wanted to do something to compete with Apple instead of relying on brands like Acer.
Still, despite this continuous stream of choice words in the media, Acer still relies a lot on Windows 8, and the company showcased an entire lineup of computers and mobile devices that were powered by Microsoft’s latest OS.
The very definition of a love-hate relationship, any way you look at it.
Many however believe that ultimately Acer is only hurting itself in the long run. Oh well.
