4 ms·

I think that releasing Surface RT first will confuse a lot of customers. Many people are saying incorrectly that Surface will run Windows apps, but my understa

I think that releasing Surface RT first will confuse a lot of customers. Many people are saying incorrectly that Surface will run Windows apps, but my understanding is that Surface RT won't, but a subsequent version will. If this is true, and if this gets Microsoft a lot of bad press, it will basically kill the Surface. Also, the iPad mini, despite my belief that it will completely cannibalize iPad sales and hurt Apple, will likely inhibit people from buying Surface as well.

seunosewa 14y ago
I don't think the confusion would kill Surface since people will still want a Windows-compatible tablet and no other company can possibly deliver that to them except Microsoft.
- hollerith 14y ago
  Microsoft and Windows 8 OEMs.
tankbot 14y ago
Bit off-topic but a serious question (not flaming): Even if the iPad Mini does cannibalize iPad sales (I'm sure it will cut into a percentage, but ultimately add to overall numbers/revenue), how will this possibly hurt Apple?
- steve8918 14y ago
  They need to sell around 1.5 or 2 iPad minis for every iPad they are replacing. They've already sold 100M iPads. They sold 14M ipads this last quarter, can the market support 22M to 28M iPad minis? I doubt it, but my guess is that a lot of people will go for the iPad mini because people don't want a tablet, they want an iPad, and they don't care which one it is. The fact that it's exactly the same but smaller and cheaper means most people will buy this, in my opinion.
  - tankbot 14y ago
    But it's the same as an iPad2, not an iPad (Retina). I think you are right that people will buy this because it's cheaper and smaller, but those are the people that would have purchased an iPad2 because they "don't want a tablet, they want an iPad, and they don't care which one it is." In my mind the Mini is a replacement/upgrade on the current iPad2 (at a similar price point) and the full-blown Retina iPad will continue as the flagship of sorts. The smaller size just means the Mini fits a niche that the previous offerings didn't.

seunosewa 14y ago

I don't think the confusion would kill Surface since people will still want a Windows-compatible tablet and no other company can possibly deliver that to them except Microsoft.

hollerith 14y ago
Microsoft and Windows 8 OEMs.

tankbot 14y ago

Bit off-topic but a serious question (not flaming): Even if the iPad Mini does cannibalize iPad sales (I'm sure it will cut into a percentage, but ultimately add to overall numbers/revenue), how will this possibly hurt Apple?

steve8918 14y ago
They need to sell around 1.5 or 2 iPad minis for every iPad they are replacing. They've already sold 100M iPads. They sold 14M ipads this last quarter, can the market support 22M to 28M iPad minis? I doubt it, but my guess is that a lot of people will go for the iPad mini because people don't want a tablet, they want an iPad, and they don't care which one it is. The fact that it's exactly the same but smaller and cheaper means most people will buy this, in my opinion.
- tankbot 14y ago
  But it's the same as an iPad2, not an iPad (Retina). I think you are right that people will buy this because it's cheaper and smaller, but those are the people that would have purchased an iPad2 because they "don't want a tablet, they want an iPad, and they don't care which one it is." In my mind the Mini is a replacement/upgrade on the current iPad2 (at a similar price point) and the full-blown Retina iPad will continue as the flagship of sorts. The smaller size just means the Mini fits a niche that the previous offerings didn't.