Microsoft could be about to kill off its Windows RT operating system (OS) after Julia Larson-Green, the company's executive vice-president for devices and studios, said having three OSs was too many.
The Windows RT, according to the vice-president, was the company's first attempt at building a "more closed, turnkey experience" to rival Apple's iPad.
RT is used on some Microsoft's Surface tablets, but it had to write down US$900 million worth of the unsold products at the end of the June quarter.
Concering RT, she said: "So the goal was to deliver two kinds of experiences into the market, the full power of your Windows PC, and the simplicity of a tablet experience that can also be productive.
Regarding whether all three Microsoft OSs can survive together, Larson-Green added: "We do think there's a world where there is a more mobile operating system that doesn't have the risks to battery life, or the risks to security.