Asus Windows 8 laptop-tablet hybrid.

(Credit: CNET Asia)

Asus will peg pricing of some upcoming Windows 8 devices to Apple's new iPad, according to a report citing comments from President Jerry Shen.

The company will "use the price of Apple's new iPad as a reference" when pricing Windows 8 and Windows RT devices, Shen said during the company's second-quarter earnings conference call, according to a report in Digitimes.

The report did not specify what "reference" means exactly, i.e., whether, for example, an Asus Windows RT tablet would be priced to compete directly with the upcoming iPad or whether it would be used as a loose pricing guideline.

Shen also addressed Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 Surface tablet products, saying "if Microsoft launches its Surface at US$199...it will cause difficulty for [the survival of] Asustek's Windows-based tablet," according to the report.

He also mentioned that Google's Nexus 7 tablet, which Asus manufactures, will provide a big boost for the company's tablet shipments.

Asus reported consolidated revenue of NT$94.197 billion (US$3.15 billion) for the second quarter, up four percent from the first quarter. Operating profit and pre-tax profit were both the highest in two years.