Acer postpones Windows RT tablets until at least next year

It looks like at least one of Microsoft's major OEM partners isn't as keen to jump on the Windows RT bandwagon.

Acer is reportedly holding off releasing any of its own Windows RT-based tablets until the second quarter of calendar year 2013 at the very earliest, according to Reuters.

Most of Acer president Jim Wong's comments to the international news agency centered around competition being presented by Windows tablets from competitors as well as Microsoft's Surface.

Originally we had a very aggressive plan to come out very early next year but because of Surface, our R&D development doesn't stop, but we are much more cautious.

This isn't the first time we've heard wary remarks about Microsoft's strategies for Windows and the Surface tablet.

In August, Acer CEO JT Wang told the Financial Times that Microsoft should "think twice" about launching Surface because it could derail the PC market altogether.

We have said [to Microsoft] think it over. 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.

On the one hand, it might be better for Acer to see how new Windows tablets fare against the likes of the iPad and Android tablets anyway, offering the potential to learn from some initial mistakes made by competitors.

However, as more and more analysts argue that we're in the "post-PC" era and consumers continue to opt for tablets over laptops, Acer doesn't have a lot of time to waste.