Today AT&T announced two tablets that it will carry, exclusively, providing a Windows 8 experience to its customers. The units are the Asus Vivo Tab RT, and the Samsung ATIV Smart PC.
The company placed the timeframe for selling the devices as “the 2012 holiday shopping season.” Its exclusivity is limited to being the only US mobile provider to sell the devices; if you are not an AT&T customer you will still be able to buy them from other channels, just not through your wireless carrier.
In its release, AT&T predictably hit on its ability to deliver 4G service to the devices, also praising Windows 8 on the go as being able to provide “customers the convenience of a tablet with productivity of a PC.” That’s Microsoft boilerplate, essentially.
What to make of this? It helps us better understand how Microsoft and its OEM partners intend to move Windows 8 devices – through both direct sales and partnerships.
The two tablets will be both in AT&T stores and for sale online. Missing from its announcement is pricing details, and potential subsidy for devices purchased on a fresh data plan.
Expect to see other carriers announce Windows 8 tablets in the coming weeks. Windows 8 is coming this very month, along with a slew of new hardware. Prepare yourself for the coming deluge.
AT&T customers sound off in the comments: Are you going to snag one of these devices, or hold out for a Surface RT?
Top Image Credit: zombieite
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