Samsung Expects to Ship 16 Million Windows PCs This Year

Samsung sees itself as being a major player in the PC space. The company's also apparently confident in the future of Windows 8, though it doesn't plan to stop selling Windows 7 systems just yet. All combined, Samsung's VP of IT Business Solutions, Jin Park, predicts his company will ship 16 million tablets and laptop computers based on Windows 8 and Windows 7 this year.

Windows 8 launched to the general public on October 26, 2012, and though it's early, sales of the new operating system have reportedly gotten off to a slow start. That could change as the public gets more accustomed to the revamped interface and as touchscreen displays (on non-tablet form factors) become more commonplace.


The other challenge Samsung faces is keeping tabs on its suppliers. A recent audit revealed a handful of labor violations at supplier plants in China. Samsung noted several "inadequate practices," including overtime hours in excess of local regulations. No child labor violations were found, though Samsung reiterated that it has a zero-tolerance policy for such offenses and announced new hiring policies along with other steps "to protect the health and welfare of employees."

Samsung is not one of the world's top 5 PC vendors in terms of shipments, though if counting tablet sales, it could potentially crack the list in the coming year.