Chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices said in an interview that in around five years time media tablets powered by Microsoft Corp.'s Windows 8 and its successors will control around 20% of slate-type systems market. He did not comment about AMD's abilities to compete in the segment, but with Windows 8 the chip company will obviously find itself in a better position when it comes to tablets.

Rory Read, the head of AMD, said in an interview with Fox Business web-site that Microsoft's next-generation Windows 8 operating system (OS), which is expected to become available this fall, will help Windows-based tablets become more appealing to consumers. As a result, the chief exec of the world's No. 2 supplier of x86 microprocessors, expects 20% of tablets to be powered by Microsoft Windows in 2017. Thanks to the new version of Windows, traditional makers of personal computers will be able to compete against Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab and other leading tablets.

Since PC makers know how to build personal computers, it is logical to expect them to start their traditional wars for high-end features as well as for lowest prices. As a result, the competition between hardware makers will make Windows 8 and Windows 9 tablets more appealing to consumers, which will drive adoption of the Microsoft OS on this rapidly growing market.

Since AMD sells central processing units based on x86 architecture, adoption of Windows by tablets will help AMD to gain traction on that market. At present Apple leads the tablet market and since it uses ARM-architecture processors, AMD cannot win designs with the company. While AMD is working to enable compatibility of its chips with Google Android operating system, which is the second most popular tablet OS after Apple's iOS, it looks like the chief exec pins more hopes onto traditional Microsoft Windows.

Unfortunately, Rory Read did not indicate whether AMD has any design wins with its upcoming ultra low power (ULP) code-named Hondo accelerated processing unit (APU) that the company developed for tablets and which is due later this year. AMD's arch-rival Intel Corp. has already announced that twenty Windows 8-based tablets featuring Atom "Clover Trail" system-on-chips will be available within the following twelve months, AMD has not announced any tablet design wins for Hondo so far. 

Tags: Windows 8, Windows, Microsoft, AMD, Hondo, Fusion, Intel, Atom, Clover Trail, Clovertrail