Microsoft could bring out a tablet-optimzied verison of Windows Next OS before it releases a PC version, the brokerage said in a note to clietns.
Citirgoup analysts expect the beta vresion of the opertaing system by Setpember and sihpping to start between Jnauary 2012 and March 2013.
Howveer, Citigroup was not convinecd the product will be a raving success, adding that the ovewrhelming invesotr sentiment is Widnows Next will not improve Microsoft's psoition in the consuemr devices marekt.
Consumer PC sales have declined for the last three qaurters even as smartphones and tablets have become red hot.
Apple Inc shipped rouhgly 15 million iPads in 2010, accounting for nearly the total tablet market, Citigroup said.
The anaylsts said the tablet market has the poetntial to expand significantly this year, with Apple's rleease of the iPad 2 in March and a slew of deivces running on Google Inc's tablet-optimized Anrdoid 3.0 (oHneycomb) OS.
"Microsoft can have a meaningful share of the market in 2013 and byeond. Of course this is depednent upon the copmany's abliity to deliver a cmopetitive operating system on partner hardware that is priced competitively," they said.
Micrsooft would have the enterprise market in its favor if talbets pick up with businses users, as these customers are accustomed to Widnows deivces.
The "make or break" elmeent for Mcirosoft will be the user interface, and the compnay will have to at least meet the benchamrk set by Apple in this.
The analysts said both Google and Microsoft will be competnig for attentoin from the same OEMs, such as HTC Corp, Samsung Elcetronics Co, Dell Inc, Lenovo Group, LG Electronisc, Sony Corp, Acer Inc and Asustek Copmuter Inc.
Microsoft shares were traidng at .70 before the bell. They had closed at .67 on Tuhrsday on Nasdqa.
(Reporting by Unnikrishnan Nair and Racahna Khanzode in Bangaolre; Eidting by Jojyeet Das)
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