Microsoft Surface Pricing Goes Toe-to-Toe With Apple iPad

Nerval's Lobster writes "Microsoft has finally revealed the pricing of its upcoming Surface tablet to a small group of journalists, including Time's Harry McCracken, who wrote in an Oct. 16 posting that the device's 32GB version will retail for $499 (or $599 with the flexible keyboard cover) and the 64GB one for $699 (cover included). Preorders will apparently begin by midday Oct. 16. Microsoft unveiled Surface over the summer but kept the pricing a secret until now. That information vacuum led some to hope against hope that Microsoft would attempt something radical and price Surface extraordinarily low—$199, perhaps—in an attempt to undercut Apple's iPad. While that didn't happen, Surface at least matches its biggest rival's low- and high-end price points. The WiFi-only, 16GB version of the iPad retails for $499, while the WiFi-only, 64GB version costs $699 (iPads with a cellular connection cost a bit more)." A related article at BGR explains why the Surface is Microsoft's latest attempt to re-invent itself.

Comments

FAIL !

[VonSkippy]

When your competitor has OWNED the market for several years, you don't MATCH their price, you blow it away.

Who would be dumb enough to pay the same price as a 3rd generation device to guinea pig a 1st gen device from a company that is known to suck at first releases?

And then there's Google's tablet for a dainty $199/$249

Microsoft really does suck at new things.

Re:Too little, too late

[localman57]

You're right, when it comes to the consumer market. But Microsoft is still firmly entrenched in business. I predict large corporations will eat up Microsoft's new tablet.

Yeah. Microsoft is like RIM. Entrenched in business. They have nothing to worry about from Apple.

"This is not a secondary business like Xbox..."

[Jeremiah Cornelius]

"...or an ill-conceived also-ran like the Zune."

No. It is a delusional, strategic blunder.

Re:"This is not a secondary business like Xbox..."

[Anonymous Coward]

I find it interesting that every post you've ever made is singing the praises of Microsoft, Windows, and closely-aligned vendors like Nokia. I also appreciate your consistent message that the world is ready for Microsoft's new Enterprise-friendly offerings.

Fess up: does it at least pay well?

Re:"This is not a secondary business like Xbox..."

[Jeremiah Cornelius]

Surface? It's Unpossible. A turd. On a silver platter.

I watched the entire Zune BS from inside MS - and predicted the entire trajectory of the "chase Apple, xerox their market" strategy.

Have you been into a "Microsoft Store"? It's like the Bizarro World, from Superman Comics.

This is phase two, of the Bizarro strategy: Now that they have a consumer store, they will produce a product to sell in it.

Re:Awesome!

[MachineShedFred]

Oh, you mean just like the Lenovo X230 Tablet that's on my desk? Or maybe the X220 Tablet right next to it? Or the X201 Tablet or X200 Tablet in our lab? Or maybe the X61 tablet right next to those? Where did I say that no one has done this before? I'm saying that the above post is ridiculous to think that Apple never thought of a touchscreen notebook before, and would have a huge research gulf to cross in order to "catch up".

They probably just didn't think it would be a model that would actually sell, and looking at the rest of the convertible touchscreen notebook market, I'd say that they were right.