Why Is Microsoft Setting More Money on Fire with Surface 2?

[ctebah]

huh ? 

 

firstly it had 2 contenders, secondly of course the xbox was selling more than the PS3. the PS3 didn't exist when the Xbox was released. 

 

So my point still stands...

[ctebah]

Android is a mobile cellphone OS =/ So is iOS 7. This is why they won't succeed in a business environment. Just my opinion.

 

Statistics show an overwhelming number of companies are implementing iPads in their work environment.  Same goes for schools, one of the target areas of the Surface.  If you believe their commercials that is.

[airedwin]

Statistics show an overwhelming number of companies are implementing iPads in their work environment.  Same goes for schools, one of the target areas of the Surface.  If you believe their commercials that is.

Yes, I agree with this, but that is because there is no alternative. Surface is the alternative. People first bought iPhone simply because there wasn't a viable alternative to a smartphone. Then android came, people that didn't like iPhone switched to android devices. I could see the same thing happening when iPads fail in the work environment, people will switch to Surface.

[HawkMan]

So my point still stands...

 

What point, your post made no sense. 

[Bryan R.]

Statistics show an overwhelming number of companies are implementing iPads in their work environment.  Same goes for schools, one of the target areas of the Surface.  If you believe their commercials that is.

The one largest reason is the abundance of apps available. The schools I manage are going with iPads because the apps they want the kids using are only available in the App Store. If Microsoft wasn't so late with their Surface, their own store would be able to compete. Now, it's a long road ahead but still the tablet itself and the OS that runs on it blow all the competition away. No question.

[adrynalyne]

Android is a mobile cellphone OS =/ So is iOS 7. This is why they won't succeed in a business environment. Just my opinion.

 

Calling it a cellphone OS is a meaningless label.  Android and iOS have further reaching capabilities than smartphones.

[airedwin]

Calling it a cellphone OS is a meaningless label.  Android and iOS have further reaching capabilities than smartphones.

Sure, but they can't reach desktop-like capability.

[adrynalyne]

Yes, I agree with this, but that is because there is no alternative. Surface is the alternative. People first bought iPhone simply because there wasn't a viable alternative to a smartphone. Then android came, people that didn't like iPhone switched to android devices. I could see the same thing happening when iPads fail in the work environment, people will switch to Surface.

The iPad isn't failing in the work environment, though.

[airedwin]

The iPad isn't failing in the work environment, though.

I don't have specific numbers or statistics, and I will admit that I am speculating on this, but having used an iPad I just don't see how an iPad is suitable for work =/

[ctebah]

What point, your post made no sense. 

 

That Microsoft sold Xbox at a loss because there was no alternative at the time of the release, and as the sales number were showing they were number 1 in sales for years.  So it made sense to sell it at a loss in the beggining because they would make money otherwise.

 

And that comparing Xbox to Surface isn't correct.

 

There you go.

[airedwin]

That Microsoft sold Xbox at a loss because there was no alternative at the time of the release, and as the sales number were showing they were number 1 in sales for years.  So it made sense to sell it at a loss in the beggining because they would make money otherwise.

 

And that comparing Xbox to Surface isn't correct.

 

There you go.

I think Xbox was a better product than Playstation, which is why it had more sales. Microsoft had zero marketshare at the time they introduced Xbox. Surface is a better product than iPad. Hopefully people will choose to buy the better product.

[HawkMan]

That Microsoft sold Xbox at a loss because there was no alternative at the time of the release, and as the sales number were showing they were number 1 in sales for years.  So it made sense to sell it at a loss in the beggining because they would make money otherwise.

 

And that comparing Xbox to Surface isn't correct.

 

There you go.

 

Except you're wrong.

 

there was not one, but TWO alternatives when the Xbox launched.

 

and both of them outsold the xbox. it wasn't until the 360 that sales took off. the low sales of the xbox is why they simply killed off support and developement for it. 

 

so comparing xbox to surface is a completely valid comparison. 

[Bryan R.]

The iPad isn't failing in the work environment, though.

The only people saying the iPad is fine for work are the ones that don't need much to be productive (a web browser and limited email access). IT professionals are certainly not saying the iPad is fine for work either. You have to get third party management suites to properly manage iPads.

[adrynalyne]

Sure, but they can't reach desktop-like capability.

How do you figure?

[kaotic]

That Microsoft sold Xbox at a loss because there was no alternative at the time of the release, and as the sales number were showing they were number 1 in sales for years.  So it made sense to sell it at a loss in the beggining because they would make money otherwise.

 

And that comparing Xbox to Surface isn't correct.

 

There you go.

 

When the OG xbox came out it was up against the ps2 and Sony had a big edge in popularity. MS didn't start to make back money until Xbox 360 and that was still a few years after release.

[airedwin]

How do you figure?

I have yet to see android or iOS run on a desktop? Maybe there are a few, but isn't that what Mac OSX and Chrome OS are for respectively?

[adrynalyne]

The only people saying the iPad is fine for work are the ones that don't need much to be productive. IT professionals are certainly not saying the iPad is fine for work either. You have to get third party management suites to properly manage iPads.

That is more than a little presumptive.  Not everyone is in IT.

 

I don't think the IT sector alone will make the Surface a success.  Do you?

[airedwin]

That is more than a little presumptive.  Not everyone is in IT.

 

I don't think the IT sector alone will make the Surface a success.  Do you?

If an IT Professional can't figure out how to use an iPad successfully for work, who can?

[adrynalyne]

I have yet to see android or iOS run on a desktop? Maybe there are a few, but isn't that what Mac OSX and Chrome OS are for respectively?

 

Just because you haven't seen it happen, doesn't mean it can't.

 

1.  Chrome OS is less capable and less powerful than Android.

2.  Android can be compiled for x86.

 

There is no technical limitation that says either of them can't reach desktop capabilities.

[ctebah]

Except you're wrong.

 

there was not one, but TWO alternatives when the Xbox launched.

 

and both of them outsold the xbox. it wasn't until the 360 that sales took off. the low sales of the xbox is why they simply killed off support and developement for it. 

 

so comparing xbox to surface is a completely valid comparison. 

 

On November 15, 2001, Xbox launched in North America and quickly sold out. Its launch in that region was successful, selling 1.53 million units three months after launch, which is higher than its successor Xbox 360, as well as the GameCube, PlayStation 3, Wii U, and even the PlayStation 2 and Wii.

 

 

Last time I checked, Surface didn't launch this successfully, did it?  So again, your comparison is wrong.

[airedwin]

Just because you haven't seen it happen, doesn't mean it can't.

 

1.  Chrome OS is less capable and less powerful than Android.

2.  Android can be compiled for x86.

 

There is no technical limitation that says either of them can't reach desktop capabilities.

Driver support? Hardware support? It's not even close to Windows. Not to mention the graphic capabilities of Windows. And deskstop software? Sure you got the appstore but if you want to play the ecosystem card, Windows wins in a landslide for desktop ecosystem.

[adrynalyne]

If an IT Professional can't figure out how to use an iPad successfully for work, who can?

Not all IT professionals were created equally?

[ctebah]

When the OG xbox came out it was up against the ps2 and Sony had a big edge in popularity. MS didn't start to make back money until Xbox 360 and that was still a few years after release.

 

I don't think you get it, it's not about making money innitialy, it's about the prospect of making money one day.  Both xbox's launched at a loss yet are considered a success.  Surface was still making money for Microsoft after the write down but is considered a failure.

[adrynalyne]

Driver support? Hardware support? It's not even close to Windows. Not to mention the graphic capabilities of Windows. And deskstop software? Sure you got the appstore but if you want to play the ecosystem card, Windows wins in a landslide for desktop ecosystem.

You still haven't listed a single limitation that cannot be overcome.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

What kind of people? Like I said, consumers, probably not, but I think Microsoft's real target audience is businesses, and then it will trickle down to consumers.

I'd hope you're wrong on Microsoft's strategy direction. If they are gunning for businesses in the hopes of winning consumers that would be very foolish. The reason Blackberry went private was due to the insane amount of risk present in this strategy...

 

The company I work for, and a large number of others, are moving hard into the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) world. In this world the consumers become the driving force behind change in corporate IT devices. You can't target businesses without first winning over consumers.

 

Microsoft should definitely be concerned about this. Consumers, currently, aren't interested in their products and this has wide reaching ramifications for them. Especially so far as their Office and Windows cash cows go. As the presence of Office hasn't really moved the needle in the Surface or Windows Phone categories in any meaningful manner.

 

I'm very confident Microsoft trying to become a larger Apple is an extremely bad strategy. I agree with them that it looks like computing is coming out of the hands of the IT crowd, but I'm not convinced they have the brand clout to pull themselves positively across the river they are trying to cross. They might have had more success doing it via another brand.