Next gen Surface in testing !!!

[CrippsCorner]

My girlfriend's mum recently heard of the Surface, and she's not into technology at all! The reason was because she works at a college so got an internal email about discount offers don't think she's going for it though... she only just recently bought a new Samsung Windows 8 laptop.

 

[mitchellvii]

Word from my GF who is a college professor is that the "hot new device" amongst students is the Surface RT. At the new price point this makes perfect sense. Once the better processors (Exynos 5 and Snapdragon 8) and improved Windows RT come online, I can see the Surface RT becoming THE choice for college students. Since it looks like the Surface may be the ONLY Windows RT tablet available, MS could kill.

 

[mitchellvii]

Surface RT II? Yes, and in a number of flavors and sizes. Surface Pro II? Don't hold your breath.

 

[CrippsCorner]

But does that mean you think Microsoft don't want any full fat Windows tablets out there!?

That would be a mistake I think... not that I would care that much, as long as ultrabooks still existed.

 

[Ruffles]

Surface RT II? Yes, and in a number of flavors and sizes. Surface Pro II? Don't hold your breath.

Both are under development. My Bro In Law works for MS and did a lot of the development for the Surface. I just spent a week with him for a family reunion. Most of the stuff he's been working on lately centered around the new RT but he said there will be a new Pro at some point.

We had a lot of discussion about development cycles and how MS is transitioning to the yearly release but that they also need to shift when that release happens. The traditional Oct release is too late in the year because OEMs miss the back to school rush. He thinks the next release after 8.1 will be sooner rather than later to get on an April / May release schedule.

 

[mitchellvii]

Both are under development. My Bro In Law works for MS and did a lot of the development for the Surface. I just spent a week with him for a family reunion. Most of the stuff he's been working on lately centered around the new RT but he said there will be a new Pro at some point.

We had a lot of discussion about development cycles and how MS is transitioning to the yearly release but that they also need to shift when that release happens. The traditional Oct release is too late in the year because OEMs miss the back to school rush. He thinks the next release after 8.1 will be sooner rather than later to get on an April / May release schedule.

There will be a new Pro 'at some point'. Translated, there may never be a new Pro. The competition is putting out SP killers right now and MS is still sorta kinda just thinking about it?

I'm telling you, the future of the Surface is Surface RT.

 

[machistmo]

Ballmer states that Windows is not selling well enough, next gen Surface in testing - Neowin

On Microsoft’s campus today, Ballmer held a ‘rally the troops’ type event where they typically go over the quarterly earnings report and attempt to boost/keep the good vibes flowing within the company.

During his internal address, Ballmer stated that Windows is not selling well enough, which shouldn’t come as a major surprise, as the company has blamed just about everything under the sun for the slower adoption of Windows 8.

Other tidbits from the address are that Microsoft is hoping to carry the third quarter momentum into Q4 and that, like many organizations, they will be investing heavily into professional services in the next fiscal quarter. Other obvious talking points included the fact that Windows 8.1 was heavily shaped by user telemetry and was why Microsoft reintroduced the Start button back into Windows 8.

Ever wonder what Microsoft’s top subsidiary was for the past fiscal year? Wonder no more, as for the first time in eight years, the US subsidiary was the top performing entity for Microsoft.

As for the next Surface? The device is currently in testing and will feature ‘typical improvements’ which is likely a spec bump. Internal response to the next gen Surface has been positive.

Microsoft also reiterated that getting Instagram is more important than landing 900,000 apps; it’s clear they know that quality is better than quantity. Considering that the highest level of the food chain wants the app on Windows Phone, you do have to wonder why Facebook/Instagram is holding back.

That’s all of the interesting tidbits that were discussed at the event. It’s clear that Microsoft knows it has a lot of work to do to meet next quarter's expectations.

They said the same thing about Windows 8. Julie Larson-Green (take his name or don't but don't hyphenate) said that external tests and focus groups and the dog told them they "WERE ON THE RIGHT TRACK" with Windows 8. Now 9 months later, nearly everything that they said over and over 'DID NOT NEED TO BE CHANGED' or that was 'WORKING AS INTENDED' or that was 'BY DESIGN FOR TOUCH', is being changed in 8.1. This company can't get out of its own way. Funny that people say Ballmer was attempting to keep the positive energy flowing at MS. From what I understand the atmosphere there is incredibly hostile between and indeed among individual departments and that MOST of that blame lays at his feet.

 

[DOS]

Surface Mini – Will replace the Surface RT, 7 or 8 inch display, competitively priced to complete with today’s 7/8 inch tablets.

Surface Book – 11 to 13 inch tablet possibly in two flavors, RT or Win8.

Surface – (Formerly Surface Pro). Haswell Processor, More Memory, new spine to allow a battery packed keyboard and the new docking station.

All will be announced before year end 2013.

If anyone asks, you didn’t hear it from me…

 

[Ruffles]

There will be a new Pro 'at some point'. Translated, there may never be a new Pro. The competition is putting out SP killers right now and MS is still sorta kinda just thinking about it?

I'm telling you, the future of the Surface is Surface RT.

No. He has seen and worked with the hardware. He just couldn't be specific about dates. Also, I've seen very few SP killers. Aside from the Acer W700, devices like the Helix etc. are closer to ultrabooks then they are tablets.

 

[mitchellvii]

No. He has seen and worked with the hardware. He just couldn't be specific about dates. Also, I've seen very few SP killers. Aside from the Acer W700, devices like the Helix etc. are closer to ultrabooks then they are tablets.

Vaporware. I'll believe it when they announce it.

The concept of a Surface Pro II is problematic:

1) It was worth it to MS to risk angering their hardware partners with the Surface Pro I in order to get the Windows 8 brand out there. This is no longer a benefit.
2) When the Surface Pro was released, no other MS partners were creating high end Windows 8 devices worth a damn and the Surface Pro gave them a "nudge". This is no longer the case.
3) In order to create a Surface Pro competitive with a Dell XPS 11 or a Sony Duo, they will have to put in much more expensive parts without raising the price of the tablet. With a product that is already losing money, this is unlikely.
4) The advantage Surface Pro had over other hyrbid devices before was weight and thickness. No more. The Dell XPS will be just as thin and light as the Surface Pro with a real backlit keyboard.

From a partner standpoint and an economics standpoint, a Surface Pro makes no sense. A Surface RT makes sense. Engineering samples are meaningless. Microsoft has had plenty of opportunities to tease a SP II and they have said nothing while they have been teasing a Surface RT II constantly.

The bottom line when thinking of a Surface Pro II is to ask yourself a simple question: "Why?" From a business standpoint the costs to MS outweigh the benefits. Whereas MS can dominate in the Surface RT space, especially with improved hardware and Windows RT.

You could obviously be correct but I would be very surprised.

 

[machistmo]

No. He has seen and worked with the hardware. He just couldn't be specific about dates. Also, I've seen very few SP killers. Aside from the Acer W700, devices like the Helix etc. are closer to ultrabooks then they are tablets.

We had Lenovo in recently to keep us up to date on the new Line up offerings coming in Sept / Oct , namely the T440/S now sold as demo units as the T431S(yawn) New power plug form factor(making that entire stock of 200x 65,90,135, and 170Watt supplies I have built up useless going forward), new docks YAY!. They didn't have a Lenovo Helix as we had requested and so one of their hardware guys dropped in on us with a unit last week. Man I was psyched when I saw him in the Lab. Wow was I underwhelmed after holding one and test driving it. I cant put my finger on it, price, weight, it trying to be all things to all people and not quite making the mark... I just would not pay $1500 For an average spec Ultrabook that weighs almost 4 lbs compared to a similar spec'd Asus Zenbook model now selling at at least one third cheaper. I think you would have to have a specific need for the tablet form or get one as a company device and learn to love it because you didn't have to pay for it.

 

[machistmo]

Vaporware. I'll believe it when they announce it.

The concept of a Surface Pro II is problematic:

1) It was worth it to MS to risk angering their hardware partners with the Surface Pro I in order to get the Windows 8 brand out there. This is no longer a benefit.
2) When the Surface Pro was released, no other MS partners were creating high end Windows 8 devices worth a damn and the Surface Pro gave them a "nudge". This is no longer the case.
3) In order to create a Surface Pro competitive with a Dell XPS 11 or a Sony Duo, they will have to put in much more expensive parts without raising the price of the tablet. With a product that is already losing money, this is unlikely.
4) The advantage Surface Pro had over other hyrbid devices before was weight and thickness. No more. The Dell XPS will be just as thin and light as the Surface Pro with a real backlit keyboard.

From a partner standpoint and an economics standpoint, a Surface Pro makes no sense. A Surface RT makes sense. Engineering samples are meaningless. Microsoft has had plenty of opportunities to tease a SP II and they have said nothing while they have been teasing a Surface RT II constantly.

The bottom line when thinking of a Surface Pro II is to ask yourself a simple question: "Why?" From a business standpoint the costs to MS outweigh the benefits. Whereas MS can dominate in the Surface RT space, especially with improved hardware and Windows RT.

You could obviously be correct but I would be very surprised.

We could go into detail as to why they screwed the pooch this round but that's just beating a dead horse and after a while its just getting blood everywhere and means an extra load of laundry. I don't think MS expected the corporate side to embrace the RT as they did or wanted to do. The enterprise was far more enthusiastic about the RT than the public ever was. A device that is on LOCK DOWN on the ability to install software is a HUGE plus for Enterprise Mamangement - now with the Join features in 8.1, Outlook RT and Gemini( granted they need to offer some sort of path to easily upgrade the H&S Office license, perhaps just sell an Enterprise RT model?). Anyway I agree with you that the RT 2 is on its way but I think The Pro2 is also on its way but not until AT LEAST March 2014. I seem to remember having this same discussion with you like 6 months ago, when most of this stuff was less clear to the consumer. Look it up, my posts on this are here somewhere.