Intel CEO Paul Otellini believes Windows 8 is the next black and he is not concerned by the fact that it will open the door to ARM-based PCs.

Speaking at a tech conference organized by Credit Suisse, Otellini described the upcoming OS as “one of the best things that’s ever happened to our company.” Otellini dismissed the ARM threat, saying ARM-based computers will be plagued by some issues, namely support for legacy applications.

However, Windows 8 cuts both ways. Although it will offer support for non-x86 chips for the first time, the new OS will also allow Intel to gain a foothold in the emerging tablet market. Otellini described Windows 8 as a “very good operating system,” not just for PCs, but also tablets.

Otellini believes the advantages of x86 chips in the tablet market lay in legacy applications, including shedloads of drivers, ranging from printers to digital cameras. He claims legacy driver support will be a major coup for Intel, even in menial tasks such as copying photos from a digital camera to a tablet.

“Try that if you don’t have a driver, doesn’t work. On the other hand, if that tablet is running [an extension] of Windows, it’s going to work just like it works with the PC today,” he said.

In spite of the tablet hype and the slowdown in demand for regular PCs, Otellini reckons there is nothing to worry. He is confident that PC sales will be driven by demand from India, Brazil, China and other large but underdeveloped markets with an emerging middle class. That is, until their middle class starts buying stuff they don’t need with money don’t have and ends up like the US middle class.

More here.