The results of a disastrous sales policy: Asus will no longer build Windows 8 RT devices

Jonney Shih, the Asus boss, has shown deep disappointment with the sales figures for Windows 8 RT devices. Going so far as to declare that the company he runsis going to focus its energies on Windows with Intel chips; without ruling out the continuation of RT tablets, but leaving them out of the multinational's priorities.

The main reason for these poor numbers for Microsoft's “small” Windows 8 is, according to Shih, that most of the applications that users use are running on the Desktop, pointing out as an example of ModernUI failure that one of the most used apps is the one that forces the system to start on the Desktop.

And are they still surprised?

The lack of self-criticism has called my attention powerfully, especially when most of the blogosphere has spent months pointing out the terrible policy of Windows 8 device manufacturers sales.

It is true that Asus has been one of the few, very few, companies that has put a quality product on the market such as the RT Vivo Tab. A tablet with Windows 8 RT, which surpasses in many aspects the, rather late, Surface RT But it has the handicap of a high price.

And this was just the beginning. In the points of sale, Vivo was like Guadiana: now it was there, the following week it disappeared, and it reappeared. In addition to the fact that in most cases it was in the farthest corner of the endless counter of Android tablets, several hundred euros cheaper, or - as I saw it in several stores - in a hidden corner out of sight of buyers .

As if that were not enough, we must add two even greater difficulties. The first is that the equipment, most of the times, was turned off, blocked or without a Wi-Fi connection Therefore, nobody could assess if it was good, bad or regular , since there was no way to test it.

Which brings us to the second impediment: test apps. I can't understand why neither Microsoft nor Asus thought to hire a company to make them a set of applications and automatic demos to install everywhere tablet targeting a counter.

Because with the three apps that came with a Vivo Tab by default, it was almost a very expensive stone when compared to Android or iPad

Inaction has also been very striking in the face of the serious problem of training and promoting the product among vendors. Those who advise customers on what to buy; and that they prefer anything that doesn't have the Windows logo on it .

The final straw being the impressive competition from Apple products, and their excellent promotion.

That, while the Asus Vivo Tab was turned off in a lost corner among dozens of cheap Android tablets, the iPads and other products from the bitten apple stood out in a brilliant display on the first line; with all devices on, connected, no locks; and with an assortment of very appealing applications for the end user.

Conclusions

Where is the Surface?

What I still don't understand is how they were able to sell any.

And it is very worrying that, instead of self-criticizing the lousy way of promoting a good product and solving all the points mentioned in this article , what is announced is that the problems start from the Windows 8 RT concept and therefore this product is relegated to a second line.

And while iPad may be starting to show weakness, Androids, silently, are gaining quality and market.

More information | Asus Pulling Back on Windows RT, Chairman Says