Microsoft may impose restrictions to Windows 8 tablet manufacturers

According to a Bloomberg report, Microsoft may be learning from Google’s Android mistakes as a guide to better success with tablets based on Windows 8.

Microsoft will reportedly impose harsh restrictions on manufacturers intending to launch Windows 8-based tablets. Bloomberg claims the tighter control will impede tablet manufacturers from building a large variety of Windows 8 tablets to combat the Apple’s successful iPad. This may suggest that Microsoft would rather have fewer, more focused Windows 8-tablets than a large number of them in the consumer market.

The Microsoft-imposed restrictions will supposedly include two limits. The first limit would tie a given chip manufacturer to a single PC manufacturer. Doing so would qualify the device for certain incentives, such as better software packages at lower prices. The second restriction applies to laptops, and supposedly allows for chip suppliers to “select a second computer maker for clamshell-style notebook computers that use the new operating system.” The desktop PC version of Windows 8 will supposedly carry no such limitations.

At least one manufacturer is dissatisfied with the new rules. Acer CEO Jerry Wang was quite vocal on the matter, saying that chip makers and PC makers “all feel it’s very troublesome.”

Still, Microsoft is continuing to iron out the process and things could change by the time Windows 8 releases. “We continue to talk regularly with hardware partners around the world as part of our development process,” said Microsoft.

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