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It
is clear that Microsoft has put in a
great deal of effort into the design and performance of the Surface,
but Apple will not be too concerned about losing its edge in the
tablet market right now, and these are the reasons why:
-
The
iPad App store currently boasts about 225,000 applications right now.
The Windows RT (the platform running on the Surface) currently only has
a few confirmed applications (e.g Netflix and Office) that will be
pre-loaded on it, but the Windows Store lags behind the App Store by a
huge margin. Microsoft will face the imperative task of attracting
major developers to develop “metro-style” apps for
the Surface. A tablet without a good selection of applications will be
a pointless purchase. -
Apple's
branding in the tablet market right now is also unquestionable. Just as
'Google' has become synonymous for searching online, 'iPad' has become
synonymous with a tablet. Given the dedication of the Apple fan base
and the popularity the iPad has, Microsoft's marketing team has a
gargantuan task of creating a dominant brand identity in the market. -
The
price of the Surface has not been officially stated, but it has been
estimated that it will be close to the price of Intel-powered ultra
books. The Apple iPad currently starts at Rs 30,500, lesser than the
price of most ultra books in the market now. Microsoft needs to set a
competitive price with the iPad to set the bar for its sales. -
Many
of the OEM partners (e.g Acer, Dell, HP) have been angered by
Microsoft's invasion onto their turf in the tablet market. While
Microsoft previously just licensed their Windows 7 OS to run on their
tablets, with the Surface, they are taking matters into their own
hands. Will this strain the relationship between Microsoft and its
partners? It already seems to have color="#000080"> lang="zxx"> class="western"
href="http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2012/06/25/acer_comment_microsoft_surface/"> lang="en-US">touched a nerve with Acer