Intel is at it again. The chip giant first let out that it was envisioning its processors to power $199 tablets, then said that Android tablets could sell for this price, and now once again, the company hopes to see Windows 8 slates retailing at this price point.
It was Intel’s chief product officer Dadi Pelmutter that first stated that the company’s upcoming Bay Trail Atom processor would cost this low. That was back in April.
Now as part of Intel’s Computex 2013 keynote, the chip maker is confident that we could see some Windows 8 tablets retail for this price.
According to a Computerworld report, Hermann Eul, the vice president and general manager of Intel’s Mobile and Communications Group said that Bay Trail tablets may hit store shelves at this price point:
“We believe we can push it well below the $199 price point.”
Ha, nice and simple — if everything else in life was this easy.
Ultimately, though while it may be good news for consumers and Intel, hardware makers will have to make a number of compromises to offer competitive solutions at this price.
Obviously, Intel will have to cut prices of Bay Trail processors, and Microsoft will have to chip in with discounted licensing costs for the Windows operating system. But basic tablets at or less than $199 will help in Windows powered solutions compete against Android devices, this much is a given.
A fair amount of consumers will decide on slightly more expensive devices that offer expanded feature sets, but Bay Trail does offer twice the performance at a much longer battery life then current generation Clover Trail Atom processor.
