Acer, whose senior management are not happy with Microsoft’s decision to enter the direct sell hardware market with their Surface tablet have pulled the plug on the launch of the Companies Windows RT tablets.

The fourth largest PC Company in the world is just one of several PC Companies who are evaluating Microsoft’s decision to compete with their long time partners.

Acer initially planned to roll out Windows RT tablets based on ARM chips early in 2013.

Also contributing to Acer’s decision to delay their launch is the panning that the Microsoft Surface tablet has got from reviewers running the new Windows RT OS.

Wong claimed that rivals Lenovo and Asustek had unveiled plans for Windows RT tablets starting at $699 before Microsoft surprised the market with its $559 home-built Surface.

“I don’t know what’s next, what Microsoft will do,” Wong said. “We are watching how Surface is doing”

“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,” Acer President Jim Wong told Reuters.

“Originally our plan was Q1, but now I don’t think it will be earlier than Q2,” Wong said on the sidelines of a presentation of Acer’s new line of Windows 8 touchscreen notebooks and tablets.

Acer was one of the first companies to criticise Microsoft for moving into the computer hardware business and competing with its partners’ devices.