The latest market estimates released by IDC (for the first quarter of the year) revealed that Microsoft sold around 900,000 Surface tablets. Most of them are said to be the Surface Pro units.
This has led to some analysts questioning Windows RT, and what the future holds for the platform. But IDC analyst Ryan Reith believes that it is still too early to judge Windows RT — Microsoft’s development efforts for its ARM operating system may yet pay off in the near future.
Talking to V3, the analyst said:
“I think Microsoft is in this for the long haul, but whether or not RT will exist in a few years is still to be determined. We haven’t called the demise of the platform yet, but having the two versions co-exist doesn’t make much sense.”
Keeping all that in mind, it is still worth noting that the Windows RT platform has only been on the market for merely six or so months — it really is far too soon to sound the death knell.
More so when one considers that Microsoft still believes (and continues to invest) in the platform.
The first major refresh of its product offering, codename Blue, is said to include the Windows RT 8.1 version, which is expected to bring a bunch of improvements and enhancements to the company’s tablet-oriented operating system.
There is a fair chance that several of the new features that are poised to be the part of Windows 8.1 will make an appearance on the next version of Windows RT 8.1. In fact, features like the 50-50 Snap View mode and support for units with smaller displays are a perfect fit for the Windows RT platform.
A thousand dollar Surface Pro is outselling a much cheaper Surface RT? Things are starting to look bad for Surface RT while things are looking up for the Surface Pro. I think the Pro is punching above its weight while the RT is doing the opposite.
I think this report shows there is a different caliber of person buying the Surface Pro than the RT. Pro buyers are looking for a laptop+ . Perhaps these are people who either have never purchased a iPad or ones who purchased one but don’t use often enough and like that the Pro combines them. RT buyers are people who have never purchase an iPad (really, why would you by an RT if you have an iPad?) These are people who have come to the tablet world late and perhaps don’t know what all the RT can’t do that the iPad can (number of apps is biggest reason to go with iPad) and they like Microsoft. I think there are lot of Windows owners who use their laptop to do real work, but will finally purchase a Pro since they can use it to get their work done and have a bit of fun as well.
Microsoft needs to do a better job of articulating the business case for RT. Let me take a stab at it here: it’s a high quality, durable tablet for businesses and individuals that are fully invested in the cloud and do not need to install old school applications. It’s an Audi in a world where everyone has a BMW (iPad).
This from someone who’s far from a Microsoft fanboy. When it comes to PCs, I’ve run Linux exclusively for years.
Microsoft needs to do a better job of articulating the business case for RT. Let me take a stab at it here: it’s a high quality, durable tablet for businesses and individuals that are fully invested in the cloud and do not need to install old school applications. It’s an Audi in a world where everyone has a BMW (iPad).
This from someone who’s far from a Microsoft fanboy. When it comes to PCs, I’ve run Linux exclusively for years.