Lenovo Discontinues Sub 10-Inch Windows Tablets In U.S. Market
Lenovo, the world's number one supplier of PCs, has reportedly decided to stop selling Windows-based tablets with screen sizes under 10 inches in the U.S. market. That includes the ThinkPad 8, which was launched in January, and the 8-inch version of the Miix 2, which Lenovo began shipping in October of last year.
What it boils down to is a lack of interest. A spokesman for Lenovo told IT World in an email that North American buyers are trending more heavily towards bigger displays in the Windows tablet category, noting that the company is "pleased" so far with the demand for its ThinkPad 10.
You can still find Lenovo's 8-inch Windows tablets in some market places like Amazon, though you can't buy them direct from Lenovo. As for the company's remaining inventory of such devices, it's sending them over to developing countries where there's more demand for them.
"In other markets, particularly Brazil, China, and Japan, the demand for ThinkPad 8 has been much stronger, so we are adjusting our ThinkPad 8 inventories to meet increasing demand in those markets. If market demand for ThinkPad 8 changes, we will re-evaluate our strategy," Lenovo said.
While Lenovo may change its strategy over time, for now it's just too difficult for smaller size Windows tablets to compete with Android slates.
What it boils down to is a lack of interest. A spokesman for Lenovo told IT World in an email that North American buyers are trending more heavily towards bigger displays in the Windows tablet category, noting that the company is "pleased" so far with the demand for its ThinkPad 10.
You can still find Lenovo's 8-inch Windows tablets in some market places like Amazon, though you can't buy them direct from Lenovo. As for the company's remaining inventory of such devices, it's sending them over to developing countries where there's more demand for them.
"In other markets, particularly Brazil, China, and Japan, the demand for ThinkPad 8 has been much stronger, so we are adjusting our ThinkPad 8 inventories to meet increasing demand in those markets. If market demand for ThinkPad 8 changes, we will re-evaluate our strategy," Lenovo said.
While Lenovo may change its strategy over time, for now it's just too difficult for smaller size Windows tablets to compete with Android slates.
