One Million Surface's Sold - Good Or Not?

[garak0410]

Well, it looks like some real numbers are coming out and there were about a Million Surface's Sold:

Just one million Surface RTs sold? | ZDNet

So, with the majority of that time being sold in their stores and online only, is this good or not?

I for one am enjoying my Surface but I also don't want to be stuck with a doorstop in a short period of time either. Thoughts?

 

[vertigoOne]

One million is pretty good IMO. When apple released the iPad, it hit one million within one month, but there was no competition at that time. Also, I imagine microsoft is making a good deal of profit at this premium pricing. I could see the next iteration of the surface costing much less if the other OEMs decide to give up on RT.

Considering the rumors around Xbox, I really think microsoft is planning to stick with RT for the long haul.

 

[martinmc78]

Well, it looks like some real numbers are coming out and there were about a Million Surface's Sold:

Just one million Surface RTs sold? | ZDNet

So, with the majority of that time being sold in their stores and online only, is this good or not?

I for one am enjoying my Surface but I also don't want to be stuck with a doorstop in a short period of time either. Thoughts?

So where are the real numbers? Its just analysts sounding off again trying to grab a headline to cover up the recent nosedive from apple on the iphone5

 

[garak0410]

One of the more strange complaints about the Surface RT is how it isn't FULL Windows 8. First of all, iPad isn't full OSX but no one complains. Second, Windows RT is more of a PURE Windows 8, removing all of the possible bloat from legacy support. If Windows 8 and its app store continue to grow, there will be a place for Windows RT.

 

[NickA]

So, with the majority of that time being sold in their stores and online only, is this good or not?

I think it's pretty good, considering it was only available initially online and in a handful of MS and popup stores. A product like this is tough to purchase when you can't actually touch and feel it, especially at 499.00. And the 32 GB version sold out more than once, so it's possible people move on to another tablet because they couldn't get this one.

One of the more strange complaints about the Surface RT is how it isn't FULL Windows 8. First of all, iPad isn't full OSX but no one complains. Second, Windows RT is more of a PURE Windows 8, removing all of the possible bloat from legacy support. If Windows 8 and its app store continue to grow, there will be a place for Windows RT.

I mentioned in another post that obviously Mac OS X is not as popular as Windows, and doesn't have the legacy app following that Windows does. There is a clear distinction between iOS and OS X, But Windows RT looks and feels just like Windows 8. Side by side you can't tell the difference. Consumers just see Windows, and want to run all their programs on it.

As far as it being pure Windows 8, I don't know about that. Look at how much free storage is available out of the box; not a lot. If RT were a stripped down Windows I would think it would be much more lightweight.

 

[garak0410]

I think it's pretty good, considering it was only available initially online and in a handful of MS and popup stores. A product like this is tough to purchase when you can't actually touch and feel it, especially at 499.00. And the 32 GB version sold out more than once, so it's possible people move on to another tablet because they couldn't get this one.



I mentioned in another post that obviously Mac OS X is not as popular as Windows, and doesn't have the legacy app following that Windows does. There is a clear distinction between iOS and OS X, But Windows RT looks and feels just like Windows 8. Side by side you can't tell the difference. Consumers just see Windows, and want to run all their programs on it.

As far as it being pure Windows 8, I don't know about that. Look at how much free storage is available out of the box; not a lot. If RT were a stripped down Windows I would think it would be much more lightweight.

Can't argue with the available space. I am glad I did get a 64 Bit Model.

I am kind of torn about my Surface. I do like it but I do fall into that mindset, at times, where I wish it did run legacy apps. When it comes to that, I pull out my still workhorse of a laptop with Windows 8 on it to get my GOG.COM games fix!

 

[arrowrand]

I think a million sold is a great number. MS is playing the long game with Surface and I'm pretty sure that they're more concerned with plowing forward than comparing Surface sales to iPad sales. At least at this point.

No company is going to create a viable platform out of thin air overnight like Apple did. The category is defined, but MS can (and I think will) carve out a nice space.

 

[neova333]

Can't argue with the available space. I am glad I did get a 64 Bit Model.

I am kind of torn about my Surface. I do like it but I do fall into that mindset, at times, where I wish it did run legacy apps. When it comes to that, I pull out my still workhorse of a laptop with Windows 8 on it to get my GOG.COM games fix!

Windows RT is a clean port of Windows 8 with the security turned up to 11. As for legacy apps, since the jailbreak has been released people have been making remarkably quick progress porting over open source apps and there's an x86 emulator that's been released as well (don't expect it to run everything you throw at it though, it's still a WIP and far from optimized).

 

[garak0410]

Windows RT is a clean port of Windows 8 with the security turned up to 11. As for legacy apps, since the jailbreak has been released people have been making remarkably quick progress porting over open source apps and there's an x86 emulator that's been released as well (don't expect it to run everything you throw at it though, it's still a WIP and far from optimized).

Is the x86 emulator in the Windows Store or does it need to be "sideloaded"?

 

[NickA]

Can't argue with the available space. I am glad I did get a 64 Bit Model.

I am kind of torn about my Surface. I do like it but I do fall into that mindset, at times, where I wish it did run legacy apps. When it comes to that, I pull out my still workhorse of a laptop with Windows 8 on it to get my GOG.COM games fix!

I feel the same as you. At times I'm really excited about it, and I'll use it daily for a week. Then I want more out of it, what that is I don't know. I picked up an Asus 11.6" Windows 8 touchscreen laptop for 499.00 at BestBuy a few weeks ago. When I don't take my Surface or iPad with me, this comes along. It's pretty thin and light and fills the gap between my Surface RT and my work laptop.

 

[garak0410]

I feel the same as you. At times I'm really excited about it, and I'll use it daily for a week. Then I want more out of it, what that is I don't know. I picked up an Asus 11.6" Windows 8 touchscreen laptop for 499.00 at BestBuy a few weeks ago. When I don't take my Surface or iPad with me, this comes along. It's pretty thin and light and fills the gap between my Surface RT and my work laptop.

I really thought about selling my Surface for that ASUS...how has it been for you? I heard the hard drive is a tad slow...

 

[dkp23]

Depends on which POV, I thought they would struggle for a million for the quarter before release, I just didn't see the demand to purchase a surface to be that high. There was high interest sure because people are curious, but that doesn't translate to sales.

So assuming this number is correct, not surprised, so not so bad and no so good IMO.

If MS actually thought they would sell 3-5 million which was reported prior to release, if that article and projection were true, im not sure who at MS would think that, but they are likely out of touch with the market. Now if MS is saying 3- 5 million in a year? Possible, in a quarter? I would of said no way, so in that POV, very bad.

I had a conversation with an MS manager a couple months before the release and he admitted that they would have issues in distribution, they just dont have the channels available to get this out if there was super high demand. So they didn't expect high volume of sales out of the gate since the device would be essentially limited to MS retail stores in the beginning. Since they carry at BB and Staples now, I suspect the demand had died off a bit. So this conflicts with the 3-5 million projection that was originally reported. He also said that MS understood wp8 will probably struggle for a few years, but they are in for the long-term. When I say MS manager, im not talking about a store manager, im talking about a manager in corporate.

I purchased surface RT on launch day and I am happy with my purchase. I understand the limitations of RT and wanted a "tablet" only device. So I use it basically as a consumption device with the ability to produce with office. What they need to do now is optimize the 1st party apps and get some real apps and games on this thing. I would think they can get a couple of the xbox arcade games on this like a bobblehead baseball or torchlight. I hope they do.

 

[NickA]

I really thought about selling my Surface for that ASUS...how has it been for you? I heard the hard drive is a tad slow...

Hard drive is frustrating! I'm not sure if it's a power saving feature or what, but you can see the lag when I have something set to auto-save. And the hard drive had been making odd noises lately so I may swap it for another. Other than that, it's been great. Although I find I don't use the touch screen much; maybe because I'm in desktop mode most of the time. What I liked most is I could install VS 2012 and SQL Server on it so I can take my work with me without having to remote into my home machine. 4 GB does the job just fine. Battery life has been great on it too.

 

[stephen_az]

So where are the real numbers? Its just analysts sounding off again trying to grab a headline to cover up the recent nosedive from apple on the iphone5

You are correct. It is not a real number. It is just another example that supposed internet journalists embrace the National Enquirer approach to stories. It is speculation from an analyst at UBS that hardly has a track record for much of anything anymore, and then extrapolating that to conclusions that happen to tout the magical iPad. In fact, the alleged analysts appear to be revising upward over their previous numbers based upon this figure. In reality though it is all just speculation from people who want others to not pay attention to those amazing tech portfolios that just aren't as impressive as they would like. Amazon is still not profitable; Google's profits in its core business are still stagnating and they still lost a boatload of money on Motorola; many prominent phone manufacturers are still in dire straits; and Apple really has lost a lot of value and the iPhone 5 really wasn't the greatest product launch in the history of mankind. The list goes on - Facebook, RIM, Samsung's litigation issues, HP's botched acquisitions, Dell's mess, etc.. It is much easier to dwell on a single new product release from Microsoft than deal with the fact that the tech sector is almost as much of a mess as before the bubble burst a decade ago. BTW, they will do the same thing when Surface Pro is released.

 

[NickA]

You are correct. It is not a real number. It is just another example that supposed internet journalists embrace the National Enquirer approach to stories.
.....
BTW, they will do the same thing when Surface Pro is released.

So true. And let's not forget that the more shocking a headline is, "Why the Surface Sucks" for example, the more hits the sites get, and the more money they make.

Any time you say <insert platform here> is better than <insert another platform here>, you are going to generate controversial content..

 

[ohgood]

Well, it looks like some real numbers are coming out and there were about a Million Surface's Sold:

Just one million Surface RTs sold? | ZDNet

So, with the majority of that time being sold in their stores and online only, is this good or not?

I for one am enjoying my Surface but I also don't want to be stuck with a doorstop in a short period of time either. Thoughts?

" Microsoft has only sold one million Surface RT devices since the tablet was released last October, according to UBS analyst Brent Thill. "

So, its not real numbers.

You buy a piece of hardware, and enjoy it. Sounds like a win.

 

[erasure25]

One of the more strange complaints about the Surface RT is how it isn't FULL Windows 8. First of all, iPad isn't full OSX but no one complains. Second, Windows RT is more of a PURE Windows 8, removing all of the possible bloat from legacy support. If Windows 8 and its app store continue to grow, there will be a place for Windows RT.

Agreed. I find a lot of the complaints from many of these "tech journalists" to be reaching. They complain about something on Surface RT but don't make the equivalent complaint against iPad or Android tablets. I don't know, I have both an iPad 3 and Surface RT and the Surface RT goes with me everywhere because I can do more with it. iPad is great for playing games with friends, but terrible at actually getting any work done.

 

[shn'g]

Agreed. I find a lot of the complaints from many of these "tech journalists" to be reaching. They complain about something on Surface RT but don't make the equivalent complaint against iPad or Android tablets. I don't know, I have both an iPad 3 and Surface RT and the Surface RT goes with me everywhere because I can do more with it. iPad is great for playing games with friends, but terrible at actually getting any work done.

Yeah this is what people just aren't getting about RT it does so much at an iPads pricepoint, yet they don't understand the use for RT. I think its a great device and if the 1 million is true I would say that's a good number. I think though the big numbers for Microsoft will come with PRO. I have heard soo many people say they are waiting for pro.

 

[ohgood]

.....the Surface RT goes with me everywhere because I can do more with it.
iPad is great for playing games with friends, but terrible at actually getting any work done.

Does working everywhere sound like more fun than playing games, with friends ? That's your pitch ?

Work by perspective:

My kids like "work" on the ipads at school. I bet they would like "work" just as much with whatever was placed in front of them, but I'm not going the guy that says "but its just like what you asked for!" on christmas.

Make surface BE that device instead of be-just-like. The rest is easy cheese.

 

[johninsj]

Does working everywhere sound like more fun than playing games, with friends ? That's your pitch ?

I believe his pitch is, if you actually do real work with a tablet, and that real work involves the office suite, the surface is for you.

My kid has to use an iPad for her highschool - the school issued every kid one. It's working out OK - mostly due to one app that does a good job of allowing markup of PDF files, and by using a stylus. She hates writing on the iPad, even with a bluetooth keyboard. Could the surface do that? Yes, with ease.

I use my surface for 6+ hours daily at work (haven't undocked my laptop since I got the surface, no more laptops at meetings) and then for a couple hours at home. Never did that with an android tablet, or an iPad.