Microsoft's Surface Pro 'is not there yet,' says IDC

That's not all. Microsoft is late to the small-screen party.
"On screen sizes, one of the things that really hurt them was at the precise time they were launching Windows RT and Windows Pro into the market, the tablet market shifted toward smaller sizes, particularly when the [iPad] Mini came out [in November]," according to Mainelli.
He continued. "Right when this was happening, Microsoft launches 10.6-inch tablets. You can make the argument that in order to be productive that's the size you need on Surface. But from a market perspective, the market has shifted small."

Microsoft's Surface Pro 'is not there yet,' says IDC | Microsoft - CNET News
 
Yep.

Tim did the right thing at the right time.

MS were caught out.

To be fair to MS, that was hard to predict, but it is part of a catalog of errors.

Any other company would be in all kinds of trouble, but MS are able to prop up and push thru relying on their other historical deals.
 

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There RT is a no go at this time M$ deep pockets may prop up those two for a while though.
 

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Oh boy.

Where do I start?

First, don't give Apple credit they don't deserve. They were just as caught out by 7 inchers as Microsoft. Google and Amazon - in other words Android - were the ones who hit it big first with smaller screens. The Nexus 7 in particular has sold in massive numbers. Apple was just copying, like usual. After all, it was Jobs who predicted small tablets would fail. It's hilarious to watch them scramble to copy Android now.

Second, Windows 8 tablets are off to a good start. They already command 7.5% of the market in 6 months. That's impressive.

Third, 7 inch Windows tablets are on the way.
 

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Tim Cook timed it right. Record Xmas sales.

The iPad mini, according to Cook both during the call and at Apple's iPad and Mac event previously, is 7.9-inches rather than 7-inches, and due to its 4:3 and 1024x768 pixel display, it has 35% more screen real-estate than a 7-inch, typically 16:9, tablet. Including the difference in landscape height, and depending on interface chrome, Cook said that translates into a 50-67% more space.
The iPad mini, because it has the same display as the iPad 2, only at a smaller size, can run all 250,000 iPad apps, compared to the tiny number of competing tablet apps. Cook sees 7-inch tablets as compromised, and the iPad mini as being in a "whole different league".



Second, Windows 8 tablets are off to a good start. They already command 7.5% of the market in 6 months. That's impressive.

Depends on your point of view.

MS have spent allegedly about 2bn on advertising including below the line, they are subsidising the oems - who aren't happy, they have alienated a large proportion of their existing users.

The result is 3m tablets sold.

MS them selves have sold about half - the other half is split between the oems. No wonder they aren't keen on pushing them out - and thier software supplier (MS ) is now competing with them.

Third, 7 inch Windows tablets are on the way.

You just accused Apple of copying because they weren't the first to release 7 in ( actually it is 8in ), then proudly announce 7 in tablets from MS are on the way.

LOL.
 

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Except Microsoft invented the tablet PC, so no, that's not copying.

The IPad mini is a piece of trash with a horribly low screen resolution and only a dual core processor. If you do the research, its actually just a smaller IPad 2.

And yeah, a lot of people were suckered into buying it. Also all the sycophantic Isheep out there had to have one.
 

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Of course it is a smaller Ipad - that is why it is called Ipad mini. :confused:

Also all the sycophantic Isheep out there had to have one.

Interesting you say that - it seems 8 is bringing out those sort of characters - what are going to call them - ms sheep?
 

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That's funny.

I'm pretty much 50/50 between Windows and Android, so no you've got that pretty wrong.

You also totally missed the point about the IPad mini. It's all out-dated tech inside. Its an IPad 2! The Nexus 7 crushes it in every way, and is cheaper too.
 

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I am not an Apple supporter. I have no Apple products.

I am still able to recognise how good they are at creating markets and product management.

I am pleased to hear the nexus 7 is so good.

Let's hope Ubuntu gets a decent chance and we actually have some real competition in the full scale os sector.

That won't be good for MS , but it will be good for competition, driving innovation, choice, and most importantly, it will be good for the consumer.
 

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Hi there
These types of "Analysts" reports are generally flawed -- typically like "Financial Advisors" and even institutionalized respected agencies like Moodies which totally got the whole Banking / Financial situation wrong (and MEGA Wrong at that --Big Big time).

Those smaller 7 inch screens IMO have had their day now with decent size smart screen sizes on phones -- a 7 inch screen is just too big to be conveniently used as a pocket sized proper tablet (The new Samsung S4 at almost 5 inch screen is about the largest screen size that works well and is still convenient as a phone too) - so why would I carry BOTH a smart phone and a 7 inch tablet.

However for maximum use and decent portability I'd reckon on the 10 - 11.5 inch screen size as about perfect -- small enough to be portable and large enough to be able to use it sensibly for REAL applications on the road (EXCEL etc). I can't conceivably think these days of ANY travelling person who doesn't carry at least ONE smart phone with them so if you go for the larger screen smartphones the 7 inch tablet is really surplus to requirements.

The 10 - 11.5 inch devices can be docked to large monitors as well if used in an office.

Apart from the price I really can't actually see what's wrong with the Surface Pro. Most travellers these days aren't THAT far away from a power source -- even in the UK with its creaking Victorian Railway system you can find Inter City trains with power points in them. While longer battery life is never a bad thing (unless the size and weight of the battery Kill the portability of the device) a 4 hour life isn't IMO a deal breaker at all.

The RT model IMO was the "Orphan" -- the Surface PRO should have been released first and then the RT - and also the RT should be able to run standard windows applications - but the small screen size would still put me off.

I only have one device with a smallish screen size (other than a smart phone) and that's around a 6 inch screen size e-reader (Sony PRS type) -- a specialized device that is 100% (no I'd say at least 200%) fit for the function it does - for Book reading - and the e-ink screens are still absolutely visible even in Direct harsh sunlight - unlike tablets / iPads etc etc).

I have a huge i7 powered alienware FX 18.2 inch screen dual HDD laptop that just sits idle most of the time - while my humble much lower powered Acer V105 11.2 inch screen gets taken on travels - even though it's only got an i3 processor in it I've got 8 GB RAM and a Samsung 840 series 250 GB SSD and is fast enough for things that I want to do including Photo shop.

(I bought the Alienware laptop in my slightly Younger days when I was really "infatuated" with gadgets and "Boys Toys"- I'm a bit older and wiser now and not quite so impulsive any more). At Home though the Alienware is a pleasure to use - but don't even THINK of lugging it to an Airport and taking it on a plane).

I'll stick my neck out here -- I think it's the 7 inch types of tablets that will see their market shrink while the 10 - 11.2 inch form factor will become the most popular. Whether the Surface pro is the right device or genuine "Convertible Hybrids" like the HP envy series will become the norm - I don't know - but I'm sure it's this type of device that will kick start the PC market again - especially as more people discover the limitations of a Tablet only device.

Incidentally seeing people trying to make a phone call with those 7 inch devices such as the Samsung Note looks absolutely idiotic in the extreme -- love to see someone doing that in the middle of the rush hour on a N.Y or London subway train.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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I think Jimbo is pretty good with his analysis here. The 7 inch screen probably is a fad.

I will say though, my Nexus 7 is very nice. Sure, I cant pocket it, but I take a backpack virtually everywhere. It weighs almost nothing, and its pretty durable. If Microsoft had released a smaller Surface, I might have got that instead.

Also, I think the Surface RT gets a bum rap. I was given a 32gb Surface RT in January. Now I won't be keeping it, but that's not in any way a comment on its quality. I was always going to buy a Surface Pro in July, so the RT is going to become superfluous. I have found that the RT stacks up pretty well as a mobile OS tablet. I have a Nexus 7 and my wife has an IPad 3. Aside from its frustrating app shortage I don't think the RT is inferior to them in any way. In terms of web browsing and productivity it is streets ahead of them both.

I think Microsoft are doing a lot better than they have been given credit for. At least they're trying to be different. Apple hasn't produced a truly innovative product since the IPad 1. People are starting to notice that. Outside of the Nexus line Android is very fragmented. I think Microsoft will be ok.
 

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I'll stick my neck out here -- I think it's the 7 inch types of tablets that will see their market shrink while the 10 - 11.2 inch form factor will become the most popular. Whether the Surface pro is the right device or genuine "Convertible Hybrids" like the HP envy series will become the norm - I don't know - but I'm sure it's this type of device that will kick start the PC market again - especially as more people discover the limitations of a Tablet only device.


Cheers
jimbo

Last night while I was on the train I saw a man using an Asus transformer tf101. He did not have it unlocked. He just held the whole netbook form to almost eye level and was reading or watching something.

I love hybrids. My only computing device is a hybrid. But I don't think people will know how to use these hybrids properly. Hybrid market share never really took off. I think it will remain nonmainstream.
 

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I have both a 10" android tablet and a 7". they are good for certain things as far as their size goes. The 7" is on my nightside table, I use it to read some news, check the weather, maybe a game or two while in bed. It's light and fits in one hand. The 10" is bulky and heavy, we use it on the couch or to entertain the little one. Both form factors have good and bad, but I would say I use them differently because of the size difference....
 

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That's not all. Microsoft is late to the small-screen party.
"On screen sizes, one of the things that really hurt them was at the precise time they were launching Windows RT and Windows Pro into the market, the tablet market shifted toward smaller sizes, particularly when the [iPad] Mini came out [in November]," according to Mainelli.
He continued. "Right when this was happening, Microsoft launches 10.6-inch tablets. You can make the argument that in order to be productive that's the size you need on Surface. But from a market perspective, the market has shifted small."

Microsoft's Surface Pro 'is not there yet,' says IDC | Microsoft - CNET News

Right.. because heaven knows that selling 700-800K of a $1000+ product solely in North America alone in 3 months, with new territories about to open is horrible :>.

I'd love to have that problem.

Nobody is saying it couldn't be better, but anyone bitching about where the SPro is at this point is just a wonk. Its been far outperforming Microsoft's expectations. Can't say the same about RT, but whatever.

Its better to be first in a new business with a high profit-margin. You're probably talking like 2-3 million+ SPros sold by the end of the year at this rate and once they bring the new territories online.
 

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Microsoft definitely missed a trick not getting their oems onto the small form factor quickly enough. And I disagree that 7" tablets will die. Even with a 4.8" phone, a 7" screen size will make a huge difference to me if I'm reading a book, surfing or watching a movie. If you consider that Apple's target audience are perhaps those who already have an iPhone with that tine 3.5" display, you can imagine how much bigger a 7" device will seem.

However I do think an 8" device would represent a nice sweet spot in terms of size/portability and functionality.
 

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However I do think an 8" device would represent a nice sweet spot in terms of size/portability and functionality.

It's called ipad mini.
 

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I find it interesting that screen size seems to go up becasue our smart phones are too small. Then the iPad comes along with a larger screen, everyone immediately jumps on to get the larger screen. Now everyone has to have a smaller screen. In about a year the larger screened tablet will be in vogue. Hell I guess I might as well dust off my bell bottoms from the 70's, I am sure that fasion is coming back.
 

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It's called ipad mini.

The IPad mini is trash. It is inferior to 7 inch Android tablets in every way. Research it and you'll see. BTW Do you work for Apple or something ?
 

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Has the ghost of BillWindows been reincarnated?
 

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