QUOTE
Microsoft?s Surface pricing dilemma is two opportunities waiting to be missed
By Wayne Williams
2012-25-06
In an article that appeared earlier today on BetaNews, Robert Cringely talks about how Microsoft can compete with Apple on pricing but -- due to supply and manufacturing issues -- won?t be able to undercut its rival. It?s an interesting observation, and one that?s based on sound thinking.
But Surface is a curious beast. The iPad is, to all intents and purposes, a scaled-up Smartphone. Microsoft?s tablet (or tablets, rather) is a touch-screen PC. It runs Windows 8, and Office, and applications like Photoshop.
PCs usually retail for a lot less than Macs (not just, as Robert would have us believe, because they are inferior, but because Apple can charge what they like and the fanboys will still lap it up) and we?re used to that. A slim, touch-screen device, fashioned from Mithril (or whatever) that can run proper programs, has a keyboard that?s also a case (genius!), and comes direct from Microsoft, could be positioned as superior to the iPad in every way. Surface is not just for checking email, browsing the web or updating Facebook. You can do substantial things with it -- like office work, or video editing. You can use it to write a novel, or pilot a rocket to Mars!
If Microsoft does what it should, and positions Surface as superior to the iPad, and all of the other casual-use tablets out there at the moment, it could easily slap a superior price tag on it.
Apple premium-prices its products because it can. Microsoft would love to be in that position, too. Surface would be the one product that would give it that chance.
More: http://betanews.com/...g-to-be-missed/
By Wayne Williams
2012-25-06
In an article that appeared earlier today on BetaNews, Robert Cringely talks about how Microsoft can compete with Apple on pricing but -- due to supply and manufacturing issues -- won?t be able to undercut its rival. It?s an interesting observation, and one that?s based on sound thinking.
But Surface is a curious beast. The iPad is, to all intents and purposes, a scaled-up Smartphone. Microsoft?s tablet (or tablets, rather) is a touch-screen PC. It runs Windows 8, and Office, and applications like Photoshop.
PCs usually retail for a lot less than Macs (not just, as Robert would have us believe, because they are inferior, but because Apple can charge what they like and the fanboys will still lap it up) and we?re used to that. A slim, touch-screen device, fashioned from Mithril (or whatever) that can run proper programs, has a keyboard that?s also a case (genius!), and comes direct from Microsoft, could be positioned as superior to the iPad in every way. Surface is not just for checking email, browsing the web or updating Facebook. You can do substantial things with it -- like office work, or video editing. You can use it to write a novel, or pilot a rocket to Mars!
If Microsoft does what it should, and positions Surface as superior to the iPad, and all of the other casual-use tablets out there at the moment, it could easily slap a superior price tag on it.
Apple premium-prices its products because it can. Microsoft would love to be in that position, too. Surface would be the one product that would give it that chance.
More: http://betanews.com/...g-to-be-missed/
