By: Nicholas Kolakowski, eWeek
Microsoft’s Windows 8 on tablets is more than a sideline or gimmick, according to an analyst. Instead, it’s a necessity for the Windows franchise. Microsoft had precious little choice when it came to importing Windows onto tablets, according to a new analyst report. Softening PC sales—which translated into declining Windows revenue—meant the company needed to look at ways to extend its business model onto new, more mobile devices. For its second quarter fiscal 2012, Microsoft saw its Windows and Windows Live division revenue dip some 6 percent from the prior period, to $4.74 billion. Company executives on a Jan. 19 earnings call highlighted recent flooding in Thailand, which curbed the global supply of hard drives, as a reason behind the recent decline in PC sales and attendant drop in Windows revenue.
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