Acer Mulls Windows 8 for Tablets

The company currently develops Android tablets, like the Iconia, which has performed better than expected in the market dominated by the iPad. Acer's A200 currently runs Google's mobile OS and earlier this week, there were reports the company was planning to continue its Android streak, releasing the 10.1-inch, Tegra 3, A700 Android-based tablet in the coming weeks.

Today's report by Digitimes, citing unnamed supply chain suppliers, would be a shift for the company and echoes moves by other hardware makers to diversify with the Windows platform.

Hardware-maker HTC began offering Windows Phone devices earlier this year and reported this fall they make up 30 percent of its sales. Prior to the shift, HTC used Android OS in the bulk of its phones, so the move to integrate Microsoft's OS into its future plans signaled a divergence, one that will likely hurt Google.

Samsung is also dedicating more of its resources to the Windows phone. Samsung inked a deal with Microsoft last year to settles the companies patent dispute, and includes a provision to develop Windows-powered Samsung smartphones in the near future.

Acer's possible embrace of Windows coincides with reports tablet-makers Lenovo and Asus are expected to produce Windows-based tablets, too.

The tablet market is still reeling from the debut of Barnes & Noble's Nook and Amazon's Kindle Fire, whose low prices and expansive entertainment libraries enticed thousands to test the tablet market and purchase the devices during the holiday shopping season.

The addition of Windows-based tablets, which aren't expected to arrive until the second half of 2012, could further upend the fledgling market, giving hardware-makers and consumers other choices to consider. Possible integration between PCs and tablets promised by Windows 8 may give the OS an edge, but the iPad is difficult competition to unseat. But additional tablet makers following Acer's lead may represent more varied competition in the Apple-dominated market, likely at the expense of the established players.