Windows Surface RT competition

**Big Ang** · 06-29-2012, 02:59 PM

When MS announced their Surface tablet they announced that it would be priced like an iPad 3 with accessories, so around $600, with the SurfacePro x86-based ones costing more. Personally, I thought think that's rather high. Regardless of how good a Surface RT tablet is, it's still not a full laptop computer (neither is the iPad). Pricing it equal to the iPad 3 would be pushing it. Neither RIM nor Palm had success pricing their tablets at the same price as an iPad.

Now Google has released a 7inch Nexus tablet, and there are rumours that a 10inch one is on its way. Regardless of the rumours, everyone has to think that a 10inch one would be coming, and would be priced as aggressively as the $200 7inch one.

As much as I like the Windows Phone (RT?) operating system, if I was in the market for a 10inch "iPad-class" tablet, it would be difficult to choose a $600 MS Surface RT over a $300 10inch Nexus, a $400 iPad 2, or a $500 iPad 3. Anyone not a Windows Phone fan would not even consider a Surface at that price. Heck, at $600 it would be dead in the water with that competition.

A $500 Surface RT(with 32gb storage and the keyboard) MIGHT cause some people to consider it. A $400 Surface would put it in competition. A $350 Surface (with 32gb and keyboard) would cause SOME people to buy it over a $300 10inch Nexus and a $400 iPad2.

Heck, I'd say strengthen that kickstand at the back and offer a nice on-screen keyboard (sell the keyboard/cover separately) and make it equal to in price with the upcoming 10inch Nexus tablet ($300), heck, even pricing it $50 over the Nexus since it would probably have more storage space. MS would probably be selling them at a loss, but they would be firmly entrenched in the marketplace and perhaps more people will buy Windows Phones, etc. This isn't unprecedented - Sony sold its Playstation 3 at a loss for several years to build up a marketplace, and I bet MS sold its XBox at a loss initially as well.

**Tendenzi** · 06-29-2012, 03:30 PM

Ooo good thread!

I believe the Windows tablet in general is destined to fail unless MS pulls out some marketing tricks from their arsenol and appeals to the media consumption crowd. Even then, the Windows 8 RT/Pro Surfaces are still so much more than the intended purpose of this. They're meant to be your computer on the go. A full class OS on a slate. But I think Apple has conditioned the market to react to tablets as a media consumption device, not a productive laptop replacement that MS wants it to become.

The transition will inevitably be, that tablets will be more full OS' than just what they are now, but it's all about timing. This tablet industry is just starting to bake, and MS may have to wait a lil longer before it has a full-on successful penetration in this field, simply because they're trying to show us (again) that we can do more with our toys.

Android is just... blah. I have nothing good to contribute here, I don't like Google releasing a tablet at 0% mark-up in an attempt to make a land grab, so it in turn can start spinning back ads on it's users. I rather MS succeed if it means Google can f-ck off.

**migo** · 06-29-2012, 06:17 PM

Microsoft isn't going to race to the bottom. They'll let Acer do it, hopefully with quality.

Where's this $300 Nexus 10 rumour from?
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**Big Ang** · 06-29-2012, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by migo

Microsoft isn't going to race to the bottom. They'll let Acer do it, hopefully with quality.

Where's this $300 Nexus 10 rumour from?
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From what I hear, the 7inch Nexus tablet is decent quality, unlike the Kobo Vox or some no-name brands. Microsoft can go and sell a premium high-cost product, but that will make it that much more difficult to get clients to choose it over an iPad or an Nexus Tablet.

Take the Lumia 710 for example. It's an amazing phone for the price (I have one too). If it was priced like the similar HTC Radar, it would not have gotten the same amount of attention. You don't have to price it like a low-end Android ($150 or less), but you can make it competitive.

A $600 Surface RT (non-Pro) will look nice, but very few will buy it. The ones that really want a Microsoft Tablet might consider spending a little more and getting an Ultrabook-class Surface Pro, compared to the iPad-class Surface RT. Few would want to buy the Surface RT when they could get 2 10inch Nexus Tablets for the same price, or an iPad2 or 3 and still have money in their pocket. In my opinion, anything more than $400 will make it dead in the water, regardless if it includes more storage memory and a fancy keyboard/cover.

The quality can be great, but it has to be a good price as well. Look at the Blackberry Playbook. At $500 it was collecting dust on the shelf. At $200 it made a lot of people take a look.

The 10inch Nexus rumour is from DigiTimes, but it is a practical idea, one which I'm sure Google is working on.

**migo** · 06-30-2012, 03:19 AM

Microsoft isn't out there to get people buying it. With the Nexus 7, Google actually wants to stop people buying the Kindle Fire. For the Surface, all MS needs is people to review it favourably - if the only complaints are price and lack of apps at launch, they're fine. They're only selling through the MS store, which is a very limited distribution chain. The Surface is a kick in the butt for the OEMs to produce something that's close to, but preferably better than the Surface. If they don't, then MS ramps up distribution and makes a big launch for the Surface 2.

**scottae316** · 07-11-2012, 10:49 PM

I think the idea that the "New" iPad or the PlayBook are not meant to be a primary computing device is just wrong. When you add the Surface to this mix it is clear that this is the direction of computing. Small, portable, and connected. Add the Nexus tablet and you have the beginning of the future of computers for most people. Desktops will be used for special purpose like scientific, or media creation. Laptops will be of the UltraBook or MacAir type for specialized purposes or some office settings. Tablets and smart phones are the future, we all know that. The Surface is really the first full OS evolution of this future. Will it sell in huge numbers, depends on pricing. I am an Apple user, Windows Phone and now Windows 8 has made me interested in Microsoft's ecosystem, something I have not been in over a decade.

**migo** · 07-15-2012, 07:49 PM

Well a new iPad isn't really capable of being a stand alone device. It does some things a laptop can't, but it's also missing features. The win 8 pro surface is the only one capable of doing it all at the moment
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**Steveanderson13** · 07-15-2012, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by migo

Microsoft isn't out there to get people buying it. With the Nexus 7, Google actually wants to stop people buying the Kindle Fire. For the Surface, all MS needs is people to review it favourably - if the only complaints are price and lack of apps at launch, they're fine.

Has this worked the last two years for Windows Phone?

**migo** · 07-16-2012, 10:22 AM

That isn't their strategy with Windows Phone.

**Big Ang** · 07-18-2012, 05:24 PM

Wow, Intel just announced that there will be about 20 new Win8 Tablets coming on the market from a variety of manufacturers!

http://venturebeat.com/2012/07/17/in...eing-designed/

Probably a mix of some W8 RT and W8 Full versions. I'm guessing the Surface and Surface Pro are included in the 20. Sounds like there is going to be a fine choice of Win Tabs (not to be confused with WindTab) coming this fall.

**migo** · 07-18-2012, 11:21 PM

It's quite likely they're all Win 8 Pro tablets. Intel wouldn't announce ARM tablets.

Off hand:
3 from Asus - TaiChi, Transformer Book, AiO
2 from Acer - W510, W700
1 from MSI - S20
1 from Lenovo - ideapad yoga

I'm sure there's more I'm not remembering. But 3 from Asus means multiple models from each manufacturer
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**TC_Mits** · 07-19-2012, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by scottae316

... Tablets and smart phones are the future, we all know that. The Surface is really the first full OS evolution of this future. Will it sell in huge numbers, depends on pricing. I am an Apple user, Windows Phone and now Windows 8 has made me interested in Microsoft's ecosystem, something I have not been in over a decade.

The vast store of legacy Windows apps is what has me excited enough to seriously consider the switch from Android to WP8.

Why, with its fifth anniversary approaching, Android still has no universal media app like VLC is incomprehensible to me. If you say I can put the legacy XP/ W7 VLC app on my x86 WP8 and play mp3s and DivX flix from the SD card on my cellphone, and that I can have the *real* Office in my pocket instead of the cheap toy version that comes with Android -- well, I'm all ears.

Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]