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Microsoft and Others Mean Stiff Competition For Apple iPad Pro
MojoKid writes: When Microsoft first announced the Surface Pro back in 2012, many Apple fans snickered. Here was Microsoft, releasing a somewhat thick and heavy tablet that not only had a kickstand, but also an odd cover that doubled as a keyboard. And to top things off, the device made use of a stylus. Steve Jobs famously said in 2010, "If you see a stylus, they blew it." But Microsoft forged ahead with the Surface Pro 2, and later with the Surface Pro 3. Not only were customers becoming more aware of the Surface but competitors were also taking note. We've seen Lenovo introduce the ideapad MIIX 700, which incorporates its own kickstand and an Intel Skylake-based Core m7 processor. And most recently, we've seen Apple pull a literal 180 on this design and platform approach, announcing the iPad Pro — a device that features a fabric keyboard cover similar in concept to the Surface Pro and a stylus. Dell and ASUS have also brought compelling offerings to the table as well. However, the big head-to-head competition will no doubt be between the Surface Pro 4, which is set to be unveiled early next month and Apple's iPad Pro when it finally goes on sale.
It's the software and OS it runs that matters.
That's why they've asked IBM to help.
http://www.apple.com/business/...
And they've helped a lot.
http://www.ibm.com/mobilefirst...
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
Even the basic product photos AND the demo showed the hand resting on the screen.
If you weren't aware, you can rest your hand on an iPad today while drawing with your finger or stylus... Apple does input discrimination very well.
The Surface Pro has a separate digitising screen for the stylus
That is all very nice but the Apple Pencil looks to have much better latency which is what really matters.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
The Surface competes far more against the Macbook than it does against the iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro is all about touch input (still), while the Surface treats that as an extra.
Also the Stylus comment was about requiring the stylus for input - which the iPad Pro does not, you only get the stylus if you need finer-grained input than a touch can give you.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
>" many Apple fans snickered. [...]Steve Jobs famously said in 2010, "If you see a stylus, they blew it." [...]And most recently, we've seen Apple pull a literal 180 on this design and platform approach,"
This is nothing new. Apple and/or Apple fans tends to ridicule anything they don't have (note I didn't say "design", because MANY things were first to market in other devices... most notably in high-end Android phones.) Remember smart watches in 2013-2014? Remember notifications? Remember Google Wallet? Remember NFC? Remember large sizes? Just a few things that quickly come to mind.
Apple tends to have some great designs and solid equipment. But they are rarely first anymore- they are more reactionary now.
It's just so sad that making things simpler makes them more attractive
It's not sad at all, because done right it means more people get the benefit of complex features without having to be very technical.
Having as many people as possible making use of technology to improve their lives is an admirable goal.
Kind of means people who look for complex features had better make it themselves.
The great thing is they still can; nothing stops them from doing so. But there are ALSO the simpler choices. Before, all we had was complexity which benefitted comparatively few.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
MIcrosoft is bleeding large amounts of money supporting Surface iterations. Apple, not so much, they deign to make a profit.
Not to say iPad Pro doesn't suck or is marvellous, or merely average, but it is hard to see how Surface is going to even survive, let alone thrive unless Microsoft tosses orders of magnitude more money at Surface than they did/are at XBox. So, stiff competition? Well, it seems like those at Microsoft need to drink a few more shots of hard liquor to steady their nerves while flashing shedloads of money until they get to a point of some form of success or pass out drunk and broke under the table.
Then don't buy one. Apple doesn't want shit-faces like you for a customer anyway.