Skip to main content

That was quick! Asus abandons the Windows RT market to Microsoft and Dell

The Windows RT deathtrain steams ahead. On Friday, Asus announced that it’s pulling out of the Windows RT market. Asus CEO Jerry Shen told the Wall Street Journal that it will only produce full Windows 8 devices based on Intel’s x86 chips from now on. “It’s not only our opinion, the industry sentiment is also that Windows RT has not been successful,” Shen told the WSJ. So, if the “industry sentiment” is that RT has been a flop so far, what companies are still actually producing Windows RT products? 

Windows RT, the light-weight version of Windows 8 that works on ARM-powered devices mobile devices, confused people from the get go. Why did Microsoft release two operating systems? Besides the confusion, initial reviews of RT devices knocked the limited software (RT devices can only run apps downloaded from the Windows Store), which only exacerbated the fledgling OS’s problems. The latest IDC report released August 5 reveals that 1.8 million Windows 8 tablets were sold in the second quarter of 2013, but Windows RT devices only sold 200,000 units. That number comes as no surprise, as Microsoft had to write off $900 billion recently due to unsold Surface RTs. 

asus-vivotab-rt
Asus VivoTab RT Image used with permission by copyright holder

That minuscule number is reflective of the small amount of Windows RT devices on the market today. Back in March, Samsung decided to pull it’s Windows RT Ativ Tab out of Germany and other European countries – and it refused to release the product here in the U.S. to begin with. Samsung’s decision not to produce more RT devices came from the confusion over what the RT operating system is, and a lack of consumer interest due to the success of Android tablets like the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, and iOS tablets like the iPad

Recommended Videos

Although Samsung released its Ativ Tab in Europe, some OEMs never released an RT device at all. HP, for example, worked on an RT tablet last fall, but ended up not releasing it, and still hasn’t produced a Windows RT device. Toshiba also decided early on to only make full Windows 8 products. Lenovo, whose IdeaPad Yoga 11 ran Windows RT, announced towards the end of July that it was discontinuing the RT version of the convertible tablet, leaving Lenovo without any RT devices in its lineup. 

lenovoyoga11s
Lenovo Yoga 11S Image used with permission by copyright holder

Of course, Microsoft’s still touting its Surface RT tablet as being better than the iPad in commercials that compare the two products, but that just make us sad. Poor, Microsoft. The Surface RT tablet is one of the two Windows RT tablets now, leaving Dell’s XPS 10 tablet to keep it company. Even Dell realized that people won’t pay much for an RT device. It slashed the price of the XPS 10 from $450 (after a $50 initial price drop) to $300 back in May. It’s still available to buy today, leaving Dell the only third-party Windows RT OEM out there. 

So, things are looking pretty bleak for Microsoft in terms of its RT campaign. Unless it shows off a mind-blowing new Surface RT soon, we wouldn’t be surprised if Dell quietly backs out of the room as well. 

Jennifer Bergen
Former Computing Editor
Jennifer Bergen is the Computing Section Editor at Digital Trends and is in charge of all things laptops, desktops, and their…
I hope Microsoft adds these 6 things to the next major Windows Update
Windows 11 logo on a laptop.

Windows 11 updates have a bit of a reputation, from slowing Intel's newest desktop processors to breaking games. Despite the occasional hiccup, we still look forward with cautious optimism.

Despite the occasional rough patch, Microsoft continues to evolve the OS, and each update feels like a chance for a new beginning. While Microsoft hasn't confirmed anything yet, the rumor mill is buzzing with what comes next, and I'm starting to feel excited. The talk of new features suggests fixes for long-standing annoyances, productivity boosts, and quality-of-life improvements worth waiting for.
What's coming to Windows in 2025?

Read more
Microsoft could make account-free Windows 11 installs a thing of the past
Windows 11 logo on a laptop.

The offline Windows 11 install looks like it could officially be a thing of the past. 

Microsoft is officially shutting the door on local accounts during Windows 11 setup, confirming that all new installations, Home and Pro alike, will now require a Microsoft account. 

Read more
Microsoft is working on something new, but it’s probably not Windows 12
The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

Microsoft appears to be working on a new major update, but if you're hoping for Windows 12, I wouldn't hold my breath. The company has confirmed that it's testing new content via the Insider program in the Dev Channel, and those changes might lead to a patch that's set to be released later this year. However, we're most likely looking at the successor to the current 24H2 build -- namely Windows 11 25H2 -- and not a whole new operating system.

This was first spotted by Windows Central. The publication cites its own sources as it claims that Microsoft is backporting some platform changes to offer better support for Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon X2 chip. Those changes will allow devices that house that chip to run Germanium-based Windows 11. Germanium refers to the platform release that the current Windows 11 build is built on, and it looks like the upcoming 25H2 build might also be based on Germanium -- but nothing is fully clear at this point.

Read more