Microsoft continues to throw their hat in the ring in the tablet war. This week they unveiled the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 in Canadian Microsoft Office, powered by Intel and boasting a 12” diagonal screen. The new tablet starts at $799 on its own however $129.99 will buy you the keyboard that doubles as a cover.
This latest release shows Microsoft offering a true “laptop replacement” experience rather than focus mainly on web surfing, reading books and games as many of its competitors have. In a market saturated by Apple and Android, targeting the vast consumer market, perhaps, they have the right idea, seemingly targeting business users.
All of the Surface tablets allow for easy docking and auxiliary monitor connectivity while in the office and superior mobility while traveling – appearing to be the perfect fit for business executives and road warriors alike. Currently, this has been a losing proposition for Microsoft as the Surface line has been unprofitable. This has many investors asking, should Microsoft be focusing on hardware at all?
The general slowdown in the tablet market is not isolated to Microsoft and could indicate market saturation. Perhaps marketing a purpose built business tablet could be a game changer – much like the laptop was to the PC market years ago. We’ll have to stay timed to find out.
What do you think . . . has Microsoft misjudged the market? Are you ready to make your next “laptop” a tablet?
Teltek is a Certified Avaya Business Partner, NEC Dealer, and Microsoft Partner with two locations in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. We specialize in providing one call technology support for small to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits in Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
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