It seems I know something about something....

Teenagers: Apple no longer cool, Microsoft Surface is in | Windows Phone Central

I once posted months ago here about how why I believe Windows 8 will be successful*. The asterisk meant that I believe Windows 8 will do the greatest with young people. It turns out, some marketing research is finding that out. One of few reasons why young people guy apple products is because they want something to stand out and be "cool." When about half of society has an iphone, most being older people, you're not an original individual. You are a superficial follower/perfect American consumer. android is looking better as the hardware is FAR superior to the iphone, Windows Phone is the new underdog. When you have something that is "cool" and no one knows what it is, you're an original individual.

And then the same goes with the ipad and the Surface tablets. Practicality is the new cool. Paying 500 dollars for a large iphone that doesn't make calls and can't fit in your pocket, then paying more for third party add-ons to make it be remotely useful isn't cool. Using something that the majority of modern society wants isn't cool. Having something popular isn't popular. The mullet stopped being cool, so has apple.

This is the HUGEST reason why I believe and Microsoft should really focus on, and it seems they're understanding that. Windows 8 is original, apple is not.

Now, some older people will call BS on this and say they will believe it when sales are there. True, but young people don't have the money or resources as middle aged people to buy into something like that. Demand is there. I personally have anecdote to share that pertains to this...

A friend of mine bought an iphone 4s (the iphone 5 is idiotic to her) five months ago. She had an ipod, she liked using itunes 10. I highlight version 10 for a reason later stated. I told her, wait it out for a month or two when Windows Phone 8 comes out on Verizon. She idiotically didn't and bought an iphone after ALL the crap I've told her about it. She was fine with it. Then like a month ago, we were breakfasting and discussing something weird that was going on with her phone. It later turned into a different conversation. We talked about how at one time, having an iphone was like being the elite of society and you're the coolest thing since sliced bread and the plastic bag clip that is on the bag of bread. She told me how she was once at work on break diddilying around on her iphone, and then looked up and saw how literally EVERYONE around her had an iphone. Keep in mind, this is her first actual smartphone so the glean of the shiny iphone distracted her from reality.

Then came along the Surface tablets, and I was making a big deal about it with her and she was just meh to it (she knew about them WAY before they were launched as I personally wanted to know what normal people react to it). About a month and half ago, she comes up to me and tells me, "That's it, I want one of those clicky things!" Meaning the Surface as she works at Costco and apparently they play the Surface commercials on the TVs on display. She also bought this overly expensive hand bag that she said reminded her of the Surface, and perfectly enough, will snuggly hold one of them.

ios 6 came out and changed a few things on her phone that she commented on how it looks kind of like Windows Phone, it was "square" according to her. itunes 11 came out. I went over to her house, first thing she says to me, "apple is starting to piddle me off!" I figured it was quite strange considering she bought an iphone and has a few ipods lying around. I was shown itunes 11 and I understood. The thing she commented on was how it was such a rip off of Windows 8 (doesn't know what the design concept of metro is called) and it is! It's awful! It's like someone took Notepad and put bold text here and there! It's bland, boring, such a disgrace to the design concept! There is no digital motion, no animation, and honestly, I got confused how to use it! I, someone how understands how to use Windows 8 PERFECTLY FINE, got confused how to use itunes 11! Things that should be there aren't there and they got moved into this little itty bitty drop down pop up menu that was ripped from the Zune software because it must be trying to focus more on the music library content, which actually is the purpose of it. What does that sound like? The metro design form. Focus on content. It's poorly done. Anyways...

And my friend was genuinely pissed at it, she said it made her mad to the max to use. She proclaimed, "You finally got me with your Windows Phone and Windows 8 loving, this pisses me off! I'm sure as heck going to buy the Surface Pro!" I got her interested in the Surface Pro, not the RT because she still needs to use itunes and it has more storage, USB 3, and potentially fulfill the promise of Windows 8 and replacing her desktop and the need for a laptop. She's fine with her iphone, reason being it has a tumblr app, Windows Phone doesn't seem to have a good one. I've asked her about this when she bought her iphone, she's not going with the 5s or 6 when she's out of contract. I also asked what would happen if her current phone died (doesn't have apple care), she'd buy a Windows Phone 8. I should mention, she along with her sister have used Windows 8 since the Developer Preview as I personally wanted to see how normal people react to Windows 8 and use it.

Also, her sister has a Windows Phone 7, the HTC Trophy. Her first real smartphone, she's kind of wanting an iphone, but seems more interested with a Windows Phone 8. Reason being the same as her sister's, it's not that cool anymore. When everyone has one, it's what everyone is doing and isn't original. They've told me that they were raised being told by their mom to not do what everyone else is doing and be original... So...



That's one of several I've been seeing lately. A friend of a friend that using an iphone switched over to a Nokia Lumia 920 recently after being gifted with a Windows 8 PC. Liking it so much, they bought a Windows Phone. I've shown images of the Surface tablet to several of my friends, they were ogling over it. I've been asked by a few people about the Surface RT and why it's better than the ipad. It's a fad, apple is. It's popular for a while, then something comes along and sweeps that away. Right now though, it seems Samsung with android is taking that away from the iphone, the Surface seems to be new cool thing over the ipad. I bet in five years from now, the conversation won't be around apple anymore. It'll be android versus Windows Phone and Windows. apple will be more or less where it is now with their macs, they seem "cool" because no one has them. Everyone else will be using an android device or a Windows Phone or Windows tablet PC as there will be more innovation coming from google and Microsoft than apple. Gah! For the sake of this thread, I'm not going to mention something I recently overheard at an att store!

Coke Robot said:

Now, some older people will call BS on this and say they will believe it when sales are there. True, but young people don't have the money or resources as middle aged people to buy into something like that. Demand is there.

Click to expand...

But demand without sales means nothing to the bottom line.

Coke Robot said:

About a month and half ago, she comes up to me and tells me, "That's it, I want one of those clicky things!" Meaning the Surface as she works at Costco and apparently they play the Surface commercials on the TVs on display. She also bought this overly expensive hand bag that she said reminded her of the Surface, and perfectly enough, will snuggly hold one of them.

Click to expand...

I still have yet to see a single person with a Surface in the wild.

pparks1 said:

Coke Robot said:

Now, some older people will call BS on this and say they will believe it when sales are there. True, but young people don't have the money or resources as middle aged people to buy into something like that. Demand is there.

Click to expand...

But demand without sales means nothing to the bottom line.

Coke Robot said:

About a month and half ago, she comes up to me and tells me, "That's it, I want one of those clicky things!" Meaning the Surface as she works at Costco and apparently they play the Surface commercials on the TVs on display. She also bought this overly expensive hand bag that she said reminded her of the Surface, and perfectly enough, will snuggly hold one of them.

Click to expand...

I still have yet to see a single person with a Surface in the wild.

Click to expand...

This is why I stated, "some older people will call BS on this and say they will believe it when sales are there. True, but young people don't have the money or resources as middle aged people to buy into something like that. Demand is there." You have fulfilled that prophecy.

I haven't seen a Surface in the wild, but I've only seen few ipads in the wild. If younger people see the Surface tablets as being cooler, they will try all they can to have one. Which again, why I stated sales aren't there because young people don't have the money like older people to spend on something most older people think is the "best."

I guess that's all fine if the most important thing in ones life is the "cool" factor. I find that a pity.

Coke Robot said:

I haven't seen a Surface in the wild, but I've only seen few ipads in the wild. If younger people see the Surface tablets as being cooler, they will try all they can to have one. Which again, why I stated sales aren't there because young people don't have the money like older people to spend on something most older people think is the "best."

Click to expand...

You have only seen a "few" iPads in the wild? Really. My goodness, I see them everywhere. In schools, at daycare, in church, at the gym, at work, at the mall, in the coffee shops, etc. I read about countless #'s of friends who bought them as xmas presents for their kids on Facebook.

Time will tell on the Surface. I'm not convinced people are willing to spend the money. I think lots will like it, boast about it, but not actually own it.

I haven't seen a Surface "in the wild", but I've seen a few iPads. I live "Downriver" and people here are more into tattoos, NASCAR, hockey and American Idol...

Are you saying something that is not already common knowledge ?

I have posted many times, ipad has been around a while. They have been improving it bit by bit - but it still largely the same thing. People are generally interested in and predisposed towards something allegedly new.

I haven't seen a surface in the wild either.

I can't even begin to estimate how many ipads I have seen out there.

azasadny said:

I haven't seen a Surface "in the wild", but I've seen a few iPads. I live "Downriver" and people here are more into tattoos, NASCAR, hockey and American Idol...

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We don't live very far apart. I'm within 5 miles of Detroit Metro airport.

I think it's a little early to be calling that game, and the article is published on a site that sells stuff for Microsoft based mobile gear. A little biased, perhaps? It would be mildly interesting to know if any other seasoned pundits have the same view as wpcentral.com. Certainly I think the death of Steve Jobs has caused a lot of wonder about where Apple will really go, as he was seen (for good reasons) as the visionary for new apple products. I think this could certainly result in a downturn in interest in Apple's product direction. But time will tell what really happens. I don't think it has to do with the price of Apple products. And I don't think Microsoft invented much of anything (they tend to discover concepts others have had for a few years and, because they just realized it, they think it's completely new and they think they invented it - all they did is maybe put a slightly different spin on it).