it would be so brilliant that it would be inconsistent with the moves Microsoft have been making. At $199, it would be sold out on day one and would create HUGE Windows 8 buzz on day one. It would get Windows 8 into the homes of millions of adults, children and students immediately. It would be a decisive act that would show Apple that the second 400 pound gorilla finally woke up. Now, what about the OEM’s? Acer’s Stan Shih would just about have a stroke on the day that price was confirmed. For OEM’s it would be the kiss of death for Windows RT. Who the heck else would be able to match the (supposed) quality of a Microsoft Surface at $199? Nobody else that’s who. Once consumers taste the Surface Windows RT fruit at $199, it will be IMPOSSIBLE to get them to pay any more than that for any other Windows RT device. That price point will harden immediately. The quote from Engadget:
According to an inside source, a session was held at Microsoft’s recent TechReady15 conference in which all the launch details were laid out. If things go according to the plan detailed then, the Surface for Windows RT tablet will be launching October 26th –no surprise there — at a compelling price of $199.Too brilliant to be true…]]>
i must get me one of those surfaces. $199, Crapple did you hear that?
let me correct you ” too stupid to be true” , done.
because that would not only hurt OEMs but also Microsoft itself. by the way what would be the point of 199$ price? I mean clearly surface RT hardware will cost more than 200$ and Microsoft is not google and cant make money from ads and service (at least not as much as google) , so WTF then?! hurting OEMs and hurting yourself for what exactly? market share? a market share which you cant make money out of !!!! and pissing your partners which you rely on for your revenue!!!
so, I call it a B.S. and engadget will just look like a clown when MS announces the real prices. (which I guess would be around 500$. and I think that would be reasonable)
Yeah at $500, a lot of people will either
A) Pass
B) get an iPad
When you spend $500, you go with the proven quantity.
For $199, that’s a “lets try it” type price…
suppose MS sells Surface 199$. what’s next? hah…
what will OEMs do? it is simple , they can NOT compete, so they will PASS the
RT.
sure, surface will sell like a hot cake and MS won’t be able to keep up with
the demands.
what will MS do after that, continue to lose money on every single device
they sell? how will they make money? windows store? not so much ! ads? what
does 6 Billion $ reminds you ? oh… yes that company that they bought a few
years ago and … blah blah blah …..
the point is , surface is not nexus 7or kindle fire and does not need to be.
surface is a premium device , something like iphone in 2007.
even Steve Ballmer said , “we will sell A FEW million”. I’m sure he wasn’t
talking about 199$ surface because that would surely sells TENS of million.
my opinion:
MS better let OEMs fight the bottom.
I don’t know maybe I’m mistaken.
Maybe but I hear the Xbox loses money on every device. It’s the number 1 gaming device in the world.
Maybe some times you have to lose money to make money?
maybe.
but:
1) unlike in consoles (which you can sell games for 60$ and cover your loss) in tablets there is no such trick. of course there are windows store and ads but unless windows 8 tablets take a big peace of market share they won’t make lot of money.
but the bigger problem:
2) OEMs. they will be pissed badly and they should be.
I really like the path MS have chosen, I mean producing surface and all the stuff. and completely disagree with Acer CEO.
but this is different.
from a consumer point of view (like myself) , It would be fantastic to have a beauty like Surface for only 199$ and I really want this rumor to be true but I just don’t see this is gonna happen.
LOL
Not true my friend.
Sell Surface at loss, get millions of users.
Get millions of users, attract thousands of app makers.
Attract app makers, get great games developed and sold.
Get games sold, make a 30% commission.
30% adds up over time…
The End.
🙂
I agree with your assessment 100%, Onuora, but I don’t believe the WinRT Surface will sell for $199.00. My guess is it will sell for $299.00. Although, if the goal is actually to steal Kindle loyalists away from Amazon, it could happen.
We’ll find out soon enough.
🙂
Wasn’t the XBOX 1 & 360 always sold at a loss?
apple and orange.
you think nexus 7 is helping android? No , Google has stabbed its partner in the back! why? because they can not compete any more , unlike Google, they rely on selling hardware and making money on hardware. most people will buy nexus 7 instead of other android tablet and Google make money by Google play and ads.
in long term, it will hurt android in tablet, because OEMs will abandon it.
it can be a good sign for Microsoft because OEMs now are looking for a good alternative to replace android. but if Surface comes with 199$ price tag, they are doomed . Surface is a perfect tablet , it is 10.7″ , it has tremendous build quality and design , a lot of different ports , high spec , two cameras and …………
give me one reason to buy OEM’s tablets instead of Surface.
there is no doubt surface will sell like crazy with that price tag, but at what cost?!
so , I think it will not be a good move for Microsoft. it is just an opinion.
let’s hope it’s true.
At $199 I would surely be very sceptical of the qualitydurability of the product and would just simply wait for other devices to get on the market.
However at $500 I would be tempted to buy one – definitely.
Surface Windows RT at $199? If true then this is the first good news about Windows 8 in a long time. If true then I think this will this be a limited 3 month special price after which the price will go up to $300 to $350? I think that is the true value of the Surface – about the range of a Toshiba tablet. But would you pay $350 that ? Limited apps, doesn’t run legacy windows programs. The only selling point of Windows RT is that it comes with MS Office. At $199 with Office, parents will buy them for their kids to use for school in the millions (parents are the ones with money and make the final choice and parents are older and more familiar with Windows and Office). This price would be a BRILLIANT move to get people to buy a Windows RT tablet in bulk, get a base and sales going, get people used to Windows RT, and get more app development. It always seemed like Windows RT was the blacksheep in the Windows 8 family but now it might just be the only hope to get Windows 8 mass appeal – something that Windows 8 Pro on a tablet just won’t do (its for businessmen). A lot of ifs though
Its still a rumour though !!!
what about win 8 pro then??
Where do I sign…. Even if it’s true I bet the price trebles in the UK. We always get conned by retailers and the govt.
LOL
The UK always seems to get a raw deal…
I know a lot of college student will appreciate this, I for one.
Straight $199 would anger OEMs lower Windows RT Value (this is not a 7″ econotablet) and just not make sense. By straight I mean things like no required subscription. I dont believe they will do that. Not that I dont think that MS couldnt do $199 and make a profit from windows 8 store sales of apps. But they are in the sticky position that their competitors are also on the same team.
Personally I would suspect $399 ~ $450 with one year subscription. That is something I would pay, as well as be a price that Competitors can match and still make a profit. Too much more than that and I would likely buy from someone else.