Bill Gates thinks Windows tablets have a big chance against iPad & Android ones

[RaduTyrsina]

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Even if it’s trying hard to penetrate the mobile market, Microsoft is yet to become a notable presence in the portable device environment. Android tablets and the iPad especially have hogged the attention of tech lovers everywhere across the world. For example, the Apple tablet sales have swept past the 141 million threshold, keeping in mind that the total number of tablet sold, reported by IDC, is situated at 253 million. Out of those, just fewer than 2 million are Surface RT or Surface Pro tablets.

But even in the face of these facts, CEO Bill Gates remains very optimistic about Microsoft’s future in the tablet sector. He feels that even if users continue to buy iOS and Android tablets, they are secretly unful​​filled because they can’t really type or create documents and presentations, which they could be doing if good old Microsoft Office was there. He believes the market will soon be shifting towards tablets that blend the functionalities of the PC offering a lot more options. Like the Surface RT or Surface Pro of course.

He explained:

“Windows 8 is revolutionary in that it takes the benefits of a tablet and the benefits of a PC, and it's able to support both of those – so if you have Surface, Surface Pro, you've got that portability of a tablet but the richness of a PC in terms of the keyboard, Microsoft Office of a PC.â€

But even if in global terms, Microsoft has a lot of catching up to do, another IDC report showcases that during the first quarter of Q1 Surface has managed to parachute itself in the tablet top five, with a 1.9% share.

 

[AQ_OC]

IYAM, this is proof that MS has no plans to bring Office to iOS...they want to leverage it to pull users to Windows Tablets.

 

[willerz2]

Microsoft is always talk and no action. Outside of Windows PC OS and Office, they have zero success to be honest. Windows phone was a hype for the first quarter after its initial release, and every revision or gen upgrade was basically a disappointment. If MS decides not to port Office to iOS, that's their loss considering how large the iOS market is worldwide and how many companies are willing to mass buy licenses for MS Office for mobile devices and iPads and such. With the consistency of the pricing of MS Office, I can already see a $20-30 app if not more, and within the first year of release, that immediately will bring up billions with companies all porting to iOS now.

 

[tazz3]

this will never happen. there are way to many ipad fans in the world to make them switch ..

 

[AQ_OC]

willerz2:

agreed. They should be running to port over Office....that's their only real cash cow left...but if they don't hurry, they will miss that boat too.

But hey, things change.

 

[KevinJS]

So we are 3 years into iPads, and sales figured have been stunted by the lack of a keyboard and Office? Wow. Just think how many more would have been sold if these two glaring omissions had been addressed at the outset. Just as well Gates is riding to the rescue with all of those Surfaces that he has shipped, but not sold. The vast majority of people don't need Office. If you think you might need it, you don't need it. There are plenty of options that are more than adequate. I like my iPad. I don't want it to be a laptop. There's a Mac for that!

 

[thewitt]

Microsoft won't release Office for iOS until they have at least attempted to force business users over to their Surface hardware to get more than 50% compatibility with Office on the PC.

There are two major issues confronting them.

They are not a hardware company. Not a focus. Never will be. Their hardware will always suck.

Office will be so much bloatware it will never run on a true tablet, so Surface users will be tied to their power cords and keyboards - to the point where they would be better off with a laptop.

They missed the boat and should have been first with a tablet version - rewritten from the ground up - designed around iOS UI guidelines.

They have never embraced a standardized UI, and their tablet version of Office will be so bloated it will require a 128g tablet with 2.5ghz dual Intel processors...

 

[willerz2]

It's pretty much a human mentality where if you can't find the thing you want to work, you look for something else that serves the same purpose. It's not like we have to have MS Office ported onto iOS, it's just an added bonus. There are plenty of alternatives out there does the exact same thing minus the huge trademark and company logo slapped onto it. Heck, if they want to put salt onto Gate's wound, users can buy Pages and Numbers to do so. Someone apply ice to that burn Gates just received please.

 

[KevinJS]

Someone apply ice to that burn Gates just received please.

I'll stick to the salt, thank you. I'm sure I'm not the only one with a big, self-satisfied grin on my face at the thought of Gates on the pointed end of the horn. Microsoft s come-uppance has been too long in coming, and what makes it doubly pleasurable is that it's Apple that have dealt it to them.

It's a pity Steve Jobs didn't live to see this. He never forgave Gates for stealing Mac OS and calling it Windows. Part of the reason it took MS so long to come up with a tablet is that they knew that this time Apple would have taken them to the cleaners if they had stolen the iPad design or any part of it. It's a bit more difficult when you have to come up with your own ideas.

 

[willerz2]

To be quite honest, when MS released the Surface with their constantly spammed advertisements on TV and over the web, the first thing I said when I first saw the commercial was "Ha, you're kinda late there Microsoft". Windows as a full fledged iOS is great, I mean I've been running Windows almost all my life, I don't side with PC OS' since I pretty much love them all, but seeing how badly the Windows Phone failed, my mentality was that it's basically a Windows Phone, ported over onto a bigger screen. MS basically dug their own grave when trying to compete with the Android and iPad market by releasing a Windows-based tablet YEARS later when the market was already decided.

 

[Kaykaykay]

I see very little advertising because I cut TV years ago. I buy gadgets based on what I read in reviews, tech blogs, etc. I'm not loyal to brands.

What any company needs to do is convince me that they offer a better product. I'm not convinced that that's the case with MS tablets at this point. I'm open to changing my mind if products improve, but that will depend on the products, not on any executive blowing hot air.

 

[s2mikey]

I'll stick to the salt, thank you. I'm sure I'm not the only one with a big, self-satisfied grin on my face at the thought of Gates on the pointed end of the horn. Microsoft s come-uppance has been too long in coming, and what makes it doubly pleasurable is that it's Apple that have dealt it to them.

It's a pity Steve Jobs didn't live to see this. He never forgave Gates for stealing Mac OS and calling it Windows. Part of the reason it took MS so long to come up with a tablet is that they knew that this time Apple would have taken them to the cleaners if they had stolen the iPad design or any part of it. It's a bit more difficult when you have to come up with your own ideas.

IBM actually had a lot to do with the OS we see today. Jobs was more mad that Gates stole it too but got it out there faster than Jobs did. Just saying

As for MS and tablets? I just don't see them making a dent in the market. Even traditional windows guys like me find the iPad a zillion times better than any other tablet and its not even that close. I've been using quick office pro for a while now and it always seems to do what I need it to. Sure, it's not as full featured as the desktop office app is but I don't expect it to be. MS just isn't getting it.

 

[alicepattinson]

this will never happen. there are way to many ipad fans in the world to make them switch ..

I totally agree. Maybe Bill Gates just wants to say something like PLANS . hihihi.

 

[skimonkey]

Honestly, I hope that we see success from windows. To me, it creates competition and allows consumers choices when they are ready to buy. I own Apple products, but also still use Windows based systems for work purposes. Both have served me very well and certainly do not have issues with either

 

[parcas1]

Honestly, I hope that we see success from windows.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...est-product-uturn-since-new-coke-8605776.html

Here's the view from a UK broadsheet that has very little time for Apple!