There is enough Windows 8 hate to go around. Apparently Asian manufacturers are in the same boat. Topeka Capital analyst Brian White recently traveled Asia meeting with various Asian manufacturers, at different nodes in the supply chain. White felt “the sentiment around Windows 8 was overwhelmingly negative” and most manufacturers do not expect Windows 8 to solve manufacturing woes. Some manufacturers told White to expect a good October and November but warned White of “idle factories” during December while one even went so far as to say “do not expect Windows 8 to be material until the second-half of 2013”. These same manufacturers weren’t exactly ecstatic with ultrabooks because of their high costs.

White did not specify exactly which manufacturers he talked to.

Unlike other naysayers, it seems the beef Asian manufacturers have with Windows 8 is not necessarily that it is too different or too restrictive than previous Windows. The issue is the manufacturers feel that Windows 8 won’t spur PC sales. What they want Microsoft to do to spur sales that Microsoft hasn’t already, I’m not exactly sure. The current consumer trend is pro-mobile and anti-desktop; Windows 8 is Microsoft’s attempt at finding a sweet transition spot between mobile and traditional computing. What else do they expect Microsoft to do — force consumers to buy PCs when they want smartphones and tablets? Maybe the manufacturers just like whining.

[via BusinessInsider]