In positioning its Surface tablets against the iPad, Microsoft has attempted to convince consumers that its devices are better built for productivity, while Apple's lineup is simply meant for media consumption. We decided to put Microsoft's claims to the test, and spent a few days using the Surface 2 in a work environment.
Microsoft on Monday used a media event in Manhattan to show off the next wave of its Surface devices, doubling down on an effort to simulate Apple's widely successful ecosystem by which the company is responsible for developing both the tablet's software and hardware.
Microsoft's Surface tablet lineup, which has thus far failed to gain traction against Apple's iPads, saw a permanent price cut this week, most notably among the high-end Surface Pro, which now sells for $100 less.
Microsoft is looking to make a bigger splash in the education segment for both its hardware and search divisions, offering schools the ability to earn free Surface RT units in exchange for regular use of its Bing search platform.
Even as it prepares a critical update to its Windows 8 platform, Microsoft has become the target of a lawsuit alleging that the software giant misled investors regarding both Windows RT and the Surface RT device it released last year.
This last week, Microsoft announced disappointing earnings that reflected the battered market for PCs and the company's inability to gain traction in smartphones. But most notable was the $900 million "inventory adjustment" related to Surface RT, Microsoft's beleaguered iPad contender. How could it have failed so badly?
Having failed to gain traction in the tablet market, Microsoft has cut the price of its Surface RT tablet so low that the 10.6-inch device now costs nearly the same amount as Apple's entry-level iPad mini.
Unable to gain much traction against Apple's iPad so far, Microsoft is cutting the licensing fees for its mobile-targeted Windows RT operating system, hoping that if manufacturers are able to make less expensive devices, the platform could show signs of life.
On the heels of launching its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, Samsung is now gearing up to introduce more Android devices, as well as new Windows products, at a June 20 event in London.
Microsoft is said to be planning to introduce its second generation of Surface tablets with smaller displays this June, but the company is reportedly taking a "cautious" approach after the initial models got off to a lukewarm start.
Apple's iPad offerings continue to dominate the tablet segment, but tablets running Windows 8 have had a small impact, accounting for one in fourteen tablets shipped in the first quarter of 2013.
The next few months may see Microsoft taking the fight for the smaller tablet market to Apple, firing back at the iPad mini with one or more similarly-sized devices running some form of Windows.
Microsoft's answer to the iPad, the Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets, have stumbled out of the gates, moving just 1.5 million units since launch, according to a new report.
The year 2013 will be the one in which shipments of tablets running Google's Android operating system will pass those of Apple's iPad, according to a new analysis out from IDC.
Microsoft this week announced its second quarter of fiscal 2013 earnings, revealing more than 60 million Windows 8 licenses sold. Industry observers, though, remain cautious on the software giant in light of trends in the PC sector.
Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it will expand its Surface tablet lineup next month with the new "Pro" model running Windows 8, as well as a new "RT" version with 64 gigabytes of storage.
Samsung no longer plans to launch a tablet in the U.S. running Microsoft's Windows RT platform due to a number of factors, including consumer confusion and slow sales.
An executive at one of Microsoft's largest PC partners, Dell, warned that the "Windows RT" branding for its tablet operating system might confuse consumers because it does not run traditional Windows applications.
Apple's total share of the growing worldwide tablet market is forecast to shrink slightly but maintain iPad dominance through the year 2016 in the face of growing competition from Android and Windows.
Sales of Windows PCs plunged ahead of the forthcoming release of Windows 8, but Microsoft saw strong pre-sales for its next-generation operating system ahead of its Oct. 26 launch.
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Neil Hughes
Kevin Bostic
Sam Oliver
Daniel Eran Dilger
AppleInsider Staff
Slash Lane
