Not sure about that. Netbooks didn’t really work. This seems similar to netbooks. Many of those also didn’t have Windows but at least some sort of explicit desktop UI. This is a mobile UI on a desktop device. Not sure how to square that.
Netbooks worked until Microsoft intentionally killed them.
Netbooks worked just fine. Intel stopped updating their cpus for them and Microsoft wouldn't offer a lightweight OS to support them after XP was EOLed. Intel/MS purposefully killed the netbook. I know plenty of people who'd rather have a decent netbook over their tablet.
If you're talking license costs, I don't think Windows costs OEMs anything after the crapware is factored in.
And that crapware is one reason why Chromebooks feel about $100 nicer than they should.
The net cost of windows for an OEM is probably lower than $100. It is often offset by all the trial software and things.
and if the OEM continue to put all the trials and other bloat (and why not? :), now in Android version, it would allow for those $100 saving