Elop: Microsoft to Volume Produce Large Multi-Touch Displays

Microsoft (MSFT) Devices boss Stephen Elop told attendees at the vendor’s Australian Partner Conference on Sept. 2 that the company will “mass produce” large-screen touch displays, leveraging its acquisition of Perceptive Pixel some two years after the fact.

ZDNet first reported Elop’s remarks, which were based on an account in The Australian. According to reports, Elop didn’t say anything about availability, channels or pricing but that’s information certain to surface shortly.

In July 2012, Microsoft bought Perceptive Pixel (PPI), a privately held, New York-based maker of large-scale, multi-touch displays, in a transaction of undisclosed terms. At the time, Microsoft said that “large-touch displays, when combined with hardware from our OEMs, will become powerful Windows 8-based PCs and open new possibilities for productivity and collaboration.”

But, somewhat surprisingly, we haven’t heard a whole lot about it since, which is a bit odd considering how much effort Microsoft has put into the touch experience with Windows 8. One thing the vendor has done, however, is to make the displays, which can run up to 82 inches in size, more affordable. A 55-inch model can be had through retail for about $7,500.

As new Devices chief, Elop now owns the PPI team, which previously had been housed under Microsoft’s Office’s group. As ZDNet suggested, PPI appears to have taken on some added significance with other Microsoft teams involved in touch and pen-input technology. In addition, with Elop bringing PPI displays into the forefront, developers writing apps that look great on the big screens naturally follows.

Word has it from TechCrunch that until recently, the mega PPI displays were regarded as an internal trophy at Microsoft—getting one on your wall meant something. But now that a full-on commercial effort is underway, how long will it be before home users occupy an entire wall with the PPI technology? It’s probably not too far off.