Just days after Steve Ballmer touted the company as one of Microsoft's key partners in the tablet market, Samsung has killed plans to launch in the U.S. a device based on Windows RT, a derivative of Windows 8 designed mainly for portable systems.

Samsung senior VP Mike Abary told Cnet that the South Korean electronics maker does not see sufficient demand from retailers to justify launch of the previously announced Ativ Tab. Abary said retailers' interest in Windows RT is only "modest." He added that customers may be confused by the OS, which, unlike full-blown Windows 8, can only run software preinstalled by Microsoft or apps downloaded from the Windows Store.