Forget Apple, Microsoft's Tablet Will Hurt HP, Dell and Others: Analyst

Microsoft Corp.'s Surface tablet computer
Bloomberg | Getty Images
Microsoft Corp.'s Surface tablet computer

Apple doesn't have to worry about Microsoft's Surface tablet, but other hardware makers sure do, Brian Marshall, an IT hardware analyst for ISI Group, told CNBC Tuesday on Squawk on the Street.

"From my perspective, this surface tablet will not impact the iOS portion of the tablet market," Marshall said. "The other market, the Samsungs, the RIMM's the HP'sdown the road, as well as the Dell, I think it will."

Marshall, who covers Apple , not Microsoft, said Microsoft's move into the hardware space may leave other hardware manufacturers who use the company's software less than pleased.

"Clearly, when you rely on Microsoft for operating systems and software, you wouldn't want them to be a hardware competitor on your own platforms. ... So I think it will have some negative repercussions from a relationship standpoint."

"I think that Microsoft doesn't obviously have a tremendous hardware footprint, so I think they want to chase some of that profit pool as well as control some of the hardware dynamics of the business model. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't," Marshall said.

To help appease hardware makers using the Windows 8 operating system, Microsoft may try to strike a deal regarding price or timing regarding release of the new tablet.

Whether the company negotiates with other hardware makers using its software, Microsoft is still seeking to steal some of other tablet makers' market share.

"I think that Microsoft doesn't obviously have a tremendous hardware footprint, so I think they want to chase some of that profit pool as well as control some of the hardware dynamics of the business model," Marshall said. "Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't."



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