Here are my observations... Over the past 2-3 years I've seen an increasing trend among many consumers in using a supplementary device to their PC. With Apple users it's pretty simple, MacBook and iPad - with some going the next step by adding iMac. Me and my colleagues use a netbook, a notebook and PlayBooks/Android tablets/iPads - and no, we're not IT, we're public policy analysts.
From a consumer's PoV, it seems to me that Microsoft is pushing for a similar approach here with PC users: Get a Windows RT slate and a Windows 8 Intel PC - be it ultrabook, desktop or both.
Does MS expect people to use Metro on their laptops/desktops? Not necessarily, especially given that Metro isn't a lot of fun without touchscreen. However, the next crop of university/college students will be picking up Windows 8 PCs, and if you roll out laptops with touchscreen at mainstream prices, people will buy. Is it a bit too gimmicky? Sure it is, but that sells.
This is what I see happening. Microsoft will push Windows RT as a simple slate comparable to the iPad experience, and tie its optimal use with a proper Intel based Windows 8 PC. Meaning, we'll see some new ecosystem fun between RT and Intel based platforms alongside Apollo handsets. Windows RT systems may be sold at a cheaper rate, perhaps some really low end models will be tied into Apollo or Windows 8 PC sales, who knows. RT might even replace netbooks.
Next year I'm planning to buy a Windows RT slate as well as a proper Windows 8 ultrabook, and if finances allow, maybe even a larger quad-core Windows 8 laptop to serve as a media server.