Ever since Steve Balmer announced the Windows Tablet by parading around on stage in January of 2010 trying to upstage Apple, which was due to announce the iPad in April 2010, Microsoft has been trying to figure out the tablet space. I mean why would you want a tablet when you can get a dirt cheap PC?Three Years ago in June of 2012 when Microsoft announced the Surface “tablet” which was merely an extra thin PC with a touch screen, membrane keyboard and a SSD running the brand new tiled Windows 8 operating system. Gone was the familiar “Start” menu that we all had grown accustomed to and replaced by a confusing and unfamiliar user interface that no one was asking for, or wanted.Fast forward to 2015 and the Microsoft Surface has been through three iterations, been advertised on ESPN, publicized by NFL teams, etc. in an effort to convince the average Joe that the Start menu was overrated, and besides Tom Brady uses a surface to gain an edge on his football stats? Even today, most companies continue to downgrade their new PCs to Windows 7 because it just works with their existing software investments. So when Microsoft wants to upset the apple cart so to speak the user base revolts. So what is the psychology behind this? I am not really sure, except that Microsoft customers appear to be gluttons for punishment, sort of like that 60’s cigarette ad “I’d rather fight than switch!”So will the iPad Pro be a Surface Killer? Probably not, but I believe that Apple will take their time to get it right and it won’t be a copy of the Surface but en entirely new experience that will be meant to kill the desktop, not the “surface” of the desktop.
Three Years ago in June of 2012 when Microsoft announced the Surface “tablet” which was merely an extra thin PC with a touch screen, membrane keyboard and a SSD running the brand new tiled Windows 8 operating system. Gone was the familiar “Start” menu that we all had grown accustomed to and replaced by a confusing and unfamiliar user interface that no one was asking for, or wanted.Fast forward to 2015 and the Microsoft Surface has been through three iterations, been advertised on ESPN, publicized by NFL teams, etc. in an effort to convince the average Joe that the Start menu was overrated, and besides Tom Brady uses a surface to gain an edge on his football stats? Even today, most companies continue to downgrade their new PCs to Windows 7 because it just works with their existing software investments. So when Microsoft wants to upset the apple cart so to speak the user base revolts. So what is the psychology behind this? I am not really sure, except that Microsoft customers appear to be gluttons for punishment, sort of like that 60’s cigarette ad “I’d rather fight than switch!”So will the iPad Pro be a Surface Killer? Probably not, but I believe that Apple will take their time to get it right and it won’t be a copy of the Surface but en entirely new experience that will be meant to kill the desktop, not the “surface” of the desktop.