Microsoft: Tablets Like The iPad Are Really PCs

Much has been made of the Post PC era, and how personal computing has taken a new shape different to the one traditionally associated with these devices.

Market forecasters and analyst have been predicting this trend for a while now, with the latest from IDC is that shipments of PCs in 2013 is on track to be down 7.8 percent. Obviously, one of the biggest reasons for the dip is the rise of tablets — slates really are taking the market share away from PCs.

This has led to several circles questioning the future of traditional desktops and laptops.

But according to Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s vice president of corporate communications, tablets including Apple iPad are basically just PCs at their very core, just with a new form factor.

“On one hand, looking around the conference, there were iPads and other tablets as far as the eye could see. On the other hand … most of the people around me were using their iPads exactly as they would a laptop – physical keyboard attached, typing away, connected to a network of some kind, creating a document or tweet or blog or article.

In that context, it’s hard to distinguish between a tablet and a notebook or laptop. The form factors are different, but let’s be clear, each is a PC.”

Sure, let’s be clear. It is a PC, just not there yet in terms of functionality required to create stuff. But as consumption devices, tablets cannot really be beat, and fact is that even as consumption devices, these various slates and tablets can (and should be) classified as PCs.

Microsoft’s head of Surface division, Panos Panay earlier this year claimed that Microsoft classifies and intends to sell the Surface RT as a tablet, while it sees the Surface Pro as a fully functioning PC.

Shaw also talked about the company’s Windows Phone platform in the blog post above saying that it was far too early to judge Microsoft’s efforts in the mobile arena, particularly when the smartphone market is continually growing.

He compared the current state of the mobile industry as the second inning in a nine-innings game, or the 15 minutes mark in game of football. Hard to disagree here, I must say.

What is your take on this, guys? Agree that the tablets are just another form of PCs? And what about the Windows Phone platform, what are your thoughts on its future? Share them below.

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