Windows 8 tablets could be big news for businesses

The impending arrival of Microsoft's tablet-friendly Windows® 8 operating system has implications for the mobile market as a whole, but perhaps nowhere is this more true than in the enterprise.

Microsoft® has been the go-to enterprise software developer for decades. And though the company has failed so far to make any real noise in the tablet computer market, this familiarity in the traditional PC space could bode well for Microsoft as businesses look to leverage its software for mobile devices.

Technology news provider eWeek reports that Microsoft is making some serious moves to capture this enterprise tablet audience. For example, the software giant is "already ramping up its efforts surrounding the Windows Store," and plans to introduce a number of application deployment options that cater to businesses.

However, some believe that Microsoft may have waited too long to get into the tablet race. Though the technology is less than two years old, the market has proven to be highly competitive, with early leaders having already emerged and others abandoning their tablet plans.

How Microsoft will fare in the tablet market is still up in the air. Clearly, the company has its work cut out for it, but as the technology continues to evolve, the industry may make room for new players.