Microsoft will be focusing its software efforts on an "outpouring" of more powerful touch screen devices, as it works on "getting the ecosystem to comply with a product line of touch PCs", company CEO Steve Ballmer said today.
While the official reveal of Windows 8.1 took centre stage at the main keynote of Microsoft's Build 2013 conference today, Ballmer used what he called "refining the blend" of the Windows 8 experience as a fulcrum on which to preach the future of productivity machines which will take Microsoft's vision beyond its current Surface line, with an increasing focus on powerful third party partner devices.
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"Touch is incredibly valuable in what I might refer to as traditional PC form factors - the advantages of being able to touch all in one, or even on the notebook that might need to be in use all day every day," said Ballmer.
"The ability to reach out and touch is obvious, yet it's only really in the Windows family we have a range of touch notebooks."
Ballmer promised that customers will see "literally an outpouring of new devices that are notebook computers in every aspect, but have touch interfaces full integrated.
"One of the things we've certainly seen in user research is customers who have Windows 8 touch systems are much happier than other customers, and are in fact much happier than Windows 7 customers," reasoned Ballmer.
"How many of us have gone to a meeting with someone who's brought a tablet, and then when it comes time to actually take notes, they write them down with pencil and paper?" asked Ballmer.
"Or can't get at a spreadsheet that they really need to do their work? Or take half an hour to set it up, and turn the tablet back into something that approximates a PC."
"And so really getting the ecosystem to comply with a product line of touch PCs is incredibly important," he said.
Ballmer championed the concept of a "two in one" tablet, which he said does a "first class job" at both business and leisure. Using the Helix by Lenovo, running an Intel Core i7 processor, as an example, Balmer asked whether to call it a PC or a tablet, but decided simply on "all Windows, all the time".
"We will sell literally hundreds of millions of Windows devices this year. Windows, Windows, Windows" Ballmer hammered home.
It was perhaps notable that Microsoft did not announce its own device to fit this long battery life, super-productivity template, as rumours of a 'Surface 2' did not come to reality today.
