Microsoft’s Ballmer says small tablets aren’t PCs

On stage at the Build 2013 conference, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated that small Windows 8 tablets are not PCs.

Ballmer, speaking about how important small tablets can be, said he “wouldn’t call them PC’s, but there will be Windows small tablets.”

Funny enough, this statement directly contrasts how Microsoft is pitching its flagship tablet device, the Surface — a device that’s just a few inches larger than a quite famous small tablet, the iPad Mini. Even the product’s main page calls it “the new tablet PC.” The fine line between tablets and PCs continues to blur, and this is not a new debate, but it’s highly interesting to see where Ballmer draws the line.

According to Ballmer, Windows fans should expect to see “a proliferation of Windows small tablet devices over the course of the next several months.”

Also during the keynote presentation, Ballmer provided an inside look at Windows 8.1 — of course, you can see TNW’s deep dive into Windows 8.1 here. In addition, Microsoft confirmed today that Facebook will bring an official application to Windows 8 in the future. Unfortunately, no timeframe was provided. Lastly, it was shared that the Windows Store has served hundreds of millions of downloads, as it nears 100,000 total applications.

For more of TNW’s Microsoft coverage, head here.

Image credit: Getty / Justin Sullivan