Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing slams Microsoft Surface tablet

Lenovo has become the latest Microsoft hardware partner to publicly criticise Microsoft over its decision to launch its own Surface tablets in direct competition to the forthcoming Windows RT tablets of its hardware partners.

Last week, SmartCompany reported Lenovo is one of just four hardware vendors to make a Windows RT tablet alongside Microsoft’s consumer Surface tablet.

According to CNet, Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing doesn’t think too highly of the Surface, telling an earnings conference call:

“Although we don’t like Microsoft providing hardware, for us, it just adds one more competitor.”

“They are strong in software, but [we] don’t believe they can provide the best hardware in the world. Lenovo can.”

“To be frank, we’re not that worried about [Surface]. Microsoft is still our strategy partner. We are very optimistic on the Windows 8 launch so we will fully leverage that to launch our new products.”

Earlier this month, Acer went so far as to threaten to “find other alternatives” to Windows in the wake of Microsoft’s announcement.