Toshiba Scraps Plans for Windows RT Tablet, Notebook

Toshiba said Tuesday it won’t launch a planned lineup of tablets and laptops running Windows software and powered by ARM-based processors.

A Toshiba representative said that the plan to launch Windows RT products changed “due to delayed components that would make a timely launch impossible,” adding that “for the time being, Toshiba will focus on bringing Windows 8 products to market.”

Toshiba had shared several designs ahead of the Computex trade show, including a Windows RT tablet with attachable keyboard and a second clamshell Windows RT notebook model. Both products were designed to work with Texas Instruments processors. Toshiba wouldn’t say if it was TI that was responsible for the delay.

“For confidentiality reasons, we cannot share any information on which vendor’s component has been delayed,” a Toshiba representative told AllThingsD.

The move comes after Microsoft announced plans for its own Windows RT-based tablet, known as Surface. Toshiba said Microsoft’s announcement of the Surface was not related to Toshiba’s decision to scrap its Windows RT products.

Microsoft has acknowledged the risk that its tablet could alienate its PC-making partners.

Toshiba’s decision was reported earlier on Tuesday by the Wall Street Journal.