Taiwan computer maker Acer has delayed launch of its own Windows RT tablet after Microsoft’s recent announcement for the availability of Surface RT.
Initially, Acer planned to roll out its tablet early next year, powered by Windows RT operating system based on ARM chips.
Microsoft’s Surface tablet which was launched last week, had received mixed reviews which made Acer to delay the launch until at least the second quarter of 2013.
Acer president Jim Wong was quoted by Reuters as saying that: "Originally we had a very aggressive plan to come out very early next year but because of Surface, our R&D development doesn’t stop, but we are much more cautious."
"Originally our plan was Q1, but now I don’t think it will be earlier than Q2," Wong said.
Wong noted that Lenovo and Asus both announced Windows RT tablets starting at $599 before Microsoft priced the Sufrace at $499.
Acer is waiting to see how the Surface RT tablet will be received by the market at its given price point.
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"I don’t know what’s next, what Microsoft will do," Wong said.
"We are watching how Surface is doing, how is RT accepted by customers, how Microsoft is aggressive on RT and on Surface, we don’t know. We want to see."
Acer anticipates its smartphone business to remain unprofitable until 2013 and intends to grow its business by signing more agreements with Chinese telecom carriers.
