What I think could help W10M *now* and not far in the future

[Guytronic]

We have a DV8P that updated to W10 and barely use it.
The wife uses it for solitaire and a few other games.

I just don't believe a tablet in any form will sell very well.
The Surface RT may have been aimed at a mobile audience and it failed with resonance.
Fortunately Microsoft is smart enough to never dip a toe there again in my opinion.

 

[Pynchmail]

I just don't believe a tablet in any form will sell very well.
The Surface RT may have been aimed at a mobile audience and it failed with resonance.

Surface RT unfortunately was aimed as a Windows desktop replacement just like the Surface Pro. It got very bad press when people realized that it cannot run legacy x86 programs. It came with "Full Microsoft Office 2013" that is actually different from x86 Office 2013, and people didn't know until later. It was a good product with poor marketing and confusing advertising.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Some people will value better battery life, SD card support, PC file sharing, keyboard and mouse support, and price over lack of apps on a tablet.

PC file sharing is possible on Android using Total Commander. There are add ons that enable FTP and LAN (Windows share).

 

[Visa Declined]

With regards to a medium or smallish tablet running Windows and selling well, it's not going to happen. Tablets of that size need a store full of popular touch-based apps, and the Windows store doesn't have those.

Both Android and iOS don't support mouse.

This gets posted here frequently, and it's only half true. Android has supported keyboard/mouse via USB and Bluetooth for years. I can hardly remember at time when USB OTG wasn't available. I've been able to plug a wired Xbox controller into almost every Android phone I've owned, and there are tons of games that support it.

 

[Laura Knotek]

With regards to a medium or smallish tablet running Windows and selling well, it's not going to happen. Tablets of that size need a store full of popular touch-based apps, and the Windows store doesn't have those.



This gets posted here frequently, and it's only half true. Android has supported keyboard/mouse via USB and Bluetooth for years. I can hardly remember at time when USB OTG wasn't available. I've been able to plug a wired Xbox controller into almost every Android phone I've owned, and there are tons of games that support it.

That is correct. I have a keyboard made by Microsoft that is compatible with my Android devices.

 

[Guytronic]

Surface RT unfortunately was aimed as a Windows desktop replacement just like the Surface Pro. It got very bad press when people realized that it cannot run legacy x86 programs. It came with "Full Microsoft Office 2013" that is actually different from x86 Office 2013, and people didn't know until later. It was a good product with poor marketing and confusing advertising.

The RT had many fans and still failed for it's weakness because of being appcentric.
This is one of the reasons I believe a WinMobile tablet would be unsuccessful.

Today's users want Windows in all it's glory with hardware power and a keyboard or a pocketable mobile device that can subsist with a wide range of function.
In my opinion there is no need for a tablet when a fully functional 5 to 6 inch phone is already available on all platforms.

 

[Pynchmail]

Putting W10M as it is on a tablet is bound to fail. My point really is that W10M can be further developed to offer features that are not available on iOS and Android, and then put it on a tablet for people to buy and try, This approach will not work with phone because apps are more important on phones than on tablets, especially those with larger screens. Such features can be combination of thinness, weight, battery life, pen, mouse, keyboard, Continuum, price, 3D, speed, ease of use, design, waterproofing, security, SD card, ports, camera, PC/XBox integration, files sharing, games, sound etc., and features we have yet to think of. Withdrawing W10M from the consumer market despite having such a good foundation is a pity.

 

[a5cent]

Putting W10M as it is on a tablet is bound to fail.

Which has been exactly my point all along. Looks like we agree after all. In its current form no device you put W10M on has any chance of success. Tablet or otherwise.

Such features can be combination of thinness, weight, battery life, pen, mouse, keyboard, Continuum, price, 3D, speed, ease of use, design, waterproofing, security, SD card, ports, camera, PC/XBox integration, files sharing, games, sound etc., and features we have yet to think of.

The part about "features we have yet to think of" is key. The other suggestions are largely innovation-free iterative improvements... at best. None of those things will move the needle. If the feature is not disruptively innovative then it's barely worth mentioning as something that could help W10M out of the hole it's currently in. Possibly we still disagree on that front, but we're getting closer.