Is Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Gaining Ground in The Tablet Market?

It is hard to imagine a scenario in which Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and its iPad lineup is knocked off its perch at the top of the tablet market. With that in mind, there are many companies doing their best to steal market share at little bit at a time. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one such company.

While the tablets with the Microsoft name on them, such as the Surface Pro, have been struggling to keep pace, the company is having some success in the market thanks to the licensing of its Windows 8 operating system.

Is this enough for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) to eventually become a major player in this space? While it may not be enough for the company to move to the top of the industry in terms of operating system market share, if nothing else it should help push it forward in the years to come.

DigiTimes has some interesting information on what is going on right now with the company, and how it will impact the industry in the near future.

“Possibly because Microsoft has lowered licensing rates for Windows 8 for use in tablets, many vendors are developing Windows 8 tablets for launch in the second half of 2013, and thus the operating system is expected to account for 5-8% of all tablets shipped globally in 2013, equivalent to a volume of 10-20 million units, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.”

If this information is accurate, it appears that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is using a lower licensing rate as a means of attracting additional vendors. In turn, the company should find it easier to grab onto a larger share of the market.

Not only is this a good thing for Microsoft as far as the tablet market is concerned, but it is important to make note that PC sales continue to struggle and a turnaround is unlikely. For this reason, the company must find a way to become a more stable player in the tablet and smartphone markets.

The article goes on to add that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is expecting to ship up to 100 million units in 20013. This works out to a minimum of five times more than device powered by the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows 8 operating system.

For Microsoft, anything is better than nothing when it comes to growth in the tablet market. Do you feel that this company has what it takes to take some market share from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)?