After Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, another major is gearing up to join the race of Small Screen Tablets, which would cover atleast 50% of global Tablet market by 2017. According to WSJ report, Microsoft Inc (MSFT) is working on a new Windows 8 powered 7 inch Surface Tablet. The small screen tablet will enable Microsoft to compete with Apple’s iPad Mini, Android powered Google Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, as well as Amazon Kindle Fire.
The Company CFO Peter Klein revealed Microsoft is closely working with OEM’s to build “a new suite of small tablets powered by windows 8, with competitive price”. Microsoft assured small screen size tablets will be available in ‘couple’ of months.
An official person familiar with the situation said company is also working on prototypes of smartwatch with screen size of 1.5-inches; it seems Microsoft has strongly decided to compete with small screen Tablet giants as Samsung, LG and Sony, who have also announced their work on smartwatch. In 2013, Tablets are accounted for $8.8 billion as revenue. Interestingly, 65% is projected to come from iOS alone.
Could 7-Inch Windows Tablet Create Magic In Market?
Microsoft should learn from the failure of Surface tablets (RT & Pro) released last year. These two tablets created much buzz before the release, but insoluble issues made surface the biggest failure in the tablet market.
Users of Microsoft surface RT powered by Windows RT reported huge problems in company’s support forum stating Wi-Fi connectivity issues, Touch Covers were splitting at the seam where it connects to the tablet; exposing its wiring, audio randomly stuttering or muting while in use and Windows key, that does not always work. Microsoft Surface Pro powered by Windows 8 Pro OS has also few issues with Wi-Fi connectivity, Stylus pen not working properly and waking up from standby mode.
Microsoft 7-inch tablet will most likely run on Windows RT. Sadly Windows RT hasn’t created a magic as Microsoft expected. The insoluble issues of RT are consuming more battery power and about half of the total storage space consumed by Operating system, applications and recovery data. It doesn’t make any sense to continue spending resources on Windows RT.
Windows RT/Pro needs more RAM & huge storage space as the OS need big chunk of space. Besides, Windows is always known as heavy on hardware and Microsoft always has a challenge to outpace performance issues with low specs. To debut in 7-inch space, Microsoft will definetly need to compromise with chips, RAM and processor. Besides, Price will be the another biggest challenge for Microsoft if they want to beat Nexus7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD. Microsoft need OEM partner to prepare this device as the company carries very bad experience in hardware manufacturing. However, the most important concern for Microsoft still is to have ‘lovable’ feel among mobile device owners towards Windows 8 OS. This time, Microsoft will have to take few ‘stressed calls’ and out-of-box decisions to avoid small-screen Windows 8 Tablets a disaster.
Research Firms Gartner Inc. and IDC on Wednesday said sales of PCs are consistently decreasing from the start of 2013 compared with last year. IDC blamed consumer confusion about Windows 8 for drop in PC sales. This drop at company’s traditional area of strength made to target at fast-growing tablet market.
However we need to wait and see how Microsoft will create tactics to turn the table from software builder to Devices and Services Company. And it has to come up from its cons to compete with the big giants in developing tablet market.
Wait! I know how to fix the problem! New Coke in regular sized cans was a disaster, right? So let’s try smaller cans! Smaller cans should make people love New Coke! Right?
You seem quite misinformed about Windows 8 in general and Surface RT in specific. Windows 8 runs great on PCs that struggled to run Windows 7. People who actually use Windows 8 find it an improvement on Windows 7, even without a touch screen. But way beyond this, I have both a Surface RT and Surface Pro and they are awesome! Multiple accounts, split screens, multiple extended desktops, attachable keyboards, MS Office, modern UI, USB connectivity, removable storage, etc. The iPad has none of these.
I say this because I also have an Android tablet and iPad to compare them with. None of the problems you attribute to RT are real problems. As far as I can tell, the problems are only made up ones by those trying to discredit the Surface. I can tell you that the WiFi on my RT is twice as receptive as on an iPad. The power lasts at least as long as an iPad. I use my RT every day for nearly six months and I have yet to see any seam opening on the keyboard exposing any wires (nor have I heard of anyone actually having this problem). I have had no sound problems and the Windows key works just fine thank you. What I have noticed is that the UI is buttery smooth and MS Office works great on it. Everyone I show my Surface RT to wants one.
Unfortunately, almost no one knows how good a Surface RT is. They have been bombarded by highly biased media reviews and news stories that read like paid advertisements for Apple Inc. People have been conditioned to think that the iPad is great and that the Surface is terrible. Microsoft has not helped by producing any advertising to show the many ways a Surface RT is more capable than an iPad. Dancing keyboards and kickstands might be cool but they do not sell tablets. All that really needs to happen is for people to experience a Surface in action. But that is the problem. Either there is no Surface to see, feel, touch and purchase, or the stores hide the Surface behind all the other tablets (or behind a pillar – no joke!). The sales staff are iPad fans and don’t want the Surface to succeed. They leave Surface turned off and lead the customers away from it. I had to politely interrupt a sales clerk telling outright lies about how bad the RT was to a customer wanting to know more about the Surface. The clerk wanted to get him to purchase an iPad. With sales clerks like this, who needs enemies.
Surface’s problem is two-fold. Poor advertising and distribution by Microsoft and plenty of FUD heaped on by Surface haters. Pity. It’s a great tablet.