Steve Ballmer had better watch out: it sounds like some of Microsoft’s (MSFT) OEM partners want to put a horse head in his bed over the upcoming Microsoft Surface tablet. The Financial Times reports that Acer (2353) CEO JT Wang thinks that Microsoft has built a nice little tablet and that it would be a shame if it just happened to lead to an OEM revolt.
“We have said [to Microsoft] think it over,” he told the Financial Times. “Think twice. It will create a huge negative impact for the ecosystem and other brands may take a negative reaction. It is not something you are good at so please think twice.”
Campbell Kan, Acer’s president for global PC operations, pointed out that Microsoft OEMs had alternatives to Windows. “If Microsoft … is going to do hardware business, what should we do?” he asked. “Should we still rely on Microsoft, or should we find other alternatives?”
Needless to say, OEMs don’t seem to be taking too kindly to Microsoft’s insistence that building its own tablet without OEM input isn’t personal, but strictly business.