Windows 8 Ultrabooks Looking to Go 100% Touch, More Computers to Follow - Olmec Skip to main content

Windows 8 Ultrabooks Looking to Go 100% Touch, More Computers to Follow

By December 18, 2013March 6th, 2023Blog, Technology News

IMG_7263-300x225Around seventy percent of Windows 8 Ultrabooks are already touch screen, says Senior President Kirk Skaugen, but the company’s goal is to push that to a hundred percent in the coming months.

Windows 8 has always been oriented towards touch screens, whether those screens are on a phone or a computer, and it seems audiences are finally warming up to that idea. All three types of Ultrabooks – clamshell laptops, hybrid convertibles, and detachables that can separate from their keyboards – are going touch-screen only.

Window PC sales aren’t mainly Ultrabooks, though the computer model is catching on, especially in touch screen models of Ultrabooks. “Touch has been doing much better in August than in any other month,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of the analysis department of the NPD group. In fact, touchscreen Ultrabooks accounted for about 30% of all Windows 8 notebook sales in August alone. In the beginning of 2013, touch screen Windows 8 devices only occupied around 10% of the market, so the leap has been astounding in the past eight months.

Baker believes the huge jump in popularity has been the price change on some of the touch screen computers. Many of the prices of older models – and even a few new ones – has dropped below $500, making them a competitor with the non-touch screen versions of Windows 8 laptops. As the holiday season approaches, predictions seem to indicate that touch screen computers will be on quite a few Christmas lists.

Intel’s technology is also helping push the market towards touch devices. In January, the chip company came out with a Core called the “Haswell” that could only be installed in touch devices. This means any computer, Ultrabook or not, that has this Haswell Core must also be touch – no exceptions.

Touch share has now started to gain as well, and the numbers are “improving dramatically” according to Baker. Other companies are also starting to consider touch screen computers as well, and more and more laptop companies are looking for affordable, attractive ways to integrate touch technology into their devices.

Time will tell whether Windows 8 becomes the leader of touch devices, or whether another victor will come out ahead. Either way, now is the time to integrate touch technology learning into your office if you haven’t already.

Jason Manteiga

Jason J. Manteiga, Vice President of Olmec Systems, has been part of the company for over the past 20 years. He believes that having a great work environment and supportive team, is the ultimate key to success. Since being in the IT realm for over 25 years, Jason, along with Olmec Systems, has been on the Inc. 5000 “List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies” and Channel Futures MSP 501 “Top Managed Service Providers in North America,” along with other awards and nominations. Jason earned his Bachelor Degree in Information Systems from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He also holds certifications in Microsoft MCSE, VMWare VCP, and Cisco CCNA. In his spare time, Jason is a contributor for The Center for Social & Legal Research (Privacy Exchange) and a member of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. His hobbies include cycling and kayaking. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters and son.