Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Microsoft Launches New Anti-iPad Surface 2 Ad Highlighting Kickstand and Multiple Accounts

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,479
30,705



Microsoft today released two new anti-iPad ads, continuing its ongoing campaign that pits various Windows tablets against Apple's iPad. In the new holiday-themed advertisements, Microsoft highlights both the Surface's kickstand and its support for multiple user accounts.
It is officially the holiday season and we know that many of you are in the middle of deciding which devices to purchase for family, friends, and yourselves. As you consider the alternatives, you should think about what you want to do on your tablet. Surface is designed and built for people who want to do more and be productive on a tablet. This means different things to different people, so we've put together a series of videos (with more to come) to show you how Surface compares to its competition in accomplishing many of the things you do every day.
Click to expand...
In the first ad, Microsoft suggests that both the Surface and the tablet's hands-free mode keep the screen clear while completing tasks such as cooking. Windows 8.1 includes a Food & Drink app that allows users to flip through recipe pages by waving a hand in front of the device. "Free apps on the iPad don't offer the same hands-free technology," says the voiceover.

Microsoft's newest ads are part of a long series of anti-iPad advertisements that have attempted to point out several flaws in Apple's tablet, including its lack of an integrated kickstand and keyboard, the absence of dedicated productivity software on the tablet its poor multitasking capabilities and its failure to offer expandable storage. Microsoft's VP of communications, Frank Shaw, even took to the company's blog in October to denounce Apple's iWork software.

Despite its steady stream of ads and its vigorous anti-iPad campaign, Microsoft was forced to initiate price cuts on its original Surface tablets earlier this year, revealing in July that the Surface lineup had earned just $853 million for the company.

Though the original Surface tablets did not sell well, Microsoft released its Surface 2 and Surface 2 Pro in September, priced at $449 and $899, respectively.

Article Link: Microsoft Launches New Anti-iPad Surface 2 Ad Highlighting Kickstand and Multiple Accounts
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/11/26/microsoft-launches-new-anti-ipad-surface-2-ad-highlighting-kickstand-and-multiple-accounts/
Z

Z400Racer37

macrumors 6502a
Feb 7, 2011
711
1,664
These guys really just don't get it. They really just don't understand the basic philosophical guides that make the iPad so popular, and allow easy transitions for users to future technologies... Shame they have so much cash to burn through so they won't just go bust quickly, and go away...
 
roadbloc

roadbloc

macrumors G3
Aug 24, 2009
8,784
215
UK
Multiple accounts. The winning feature for me. iOS should have had support for them ages ago. (And on screen multitasking).
 
C

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,559
1,671
Redondo Beach, California
I do have to agree. It was cheap or maybe just greedy on Apple's part not to offer expendable storage. A micro SD slot would have been easy to add to the iPad and then a user could pop in a 32GB card if more storage were needed.
 
Michael Goff

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,421
It's a shame people really don't care about that sort of thing.

These are true statements.

But Microsoft just doesn't have the "cool" factor that Apple does.
 
mertyz

mertyz

macrumors regular
Sep 21, 2011
201
4
roadbloc said:
Multiple accounts. The winning feature for me. iOS should have had support for them ages ago. (And on screen multitasking).
Click to expand...

I guess it's just a different approach. Apple considers mobile devices as personal products which clearly helps them in sales as well.
 
D

diazj3

macrumors 6502a
Jan 19, 2008
879
135
The second ad, the one about multiple user accounts and usage monitoring makes a very big point. The reason why Apple has not implementes this is, I guess, to sell more iPads, since it should be fairly simple to implement. That alone would make me seriously consider a Surface, specially with kids in the house.

Hopefully the competition will keep making better, more open products. That will benefit everyone.
 
Michael Goff

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,421
mertyz said:
I guess it's just a different approach. Apple considers mobile devices as personal products which clearly helps them in sales as well.
Click to expand...

I think you hit on the real reason.

Apple doesn't want one iPad sale when they could get 2-3. The only philosophy that pushes that is knowing their customers will buy them, not some UX approach.
 
F

flash84x

macrumors regular
Aug 5, 2011
189
132
roadbloc said:
Multiple accounts. The winning feature for me. iOS should have had support for them ages ago. (And on screen multitasking).
Click to expand...

Multi-account definitely is a big deal that Apple should really consider. I think they'd rather sell an iPad to every family member unfortunately.
 
F

friedmud

macrumors 65816
Jul 11, 2008
1,415
1,265
These features are neat - and they should highlight them - but the direct comparison to the iPad is just dumb. Why can't they just highlight the cool features without mentioning anything about the iPad.

If you cut these two adds down to remove anything about an iPad they could show off both of these features within 60 seconds and not remind anyone of their competition....
 
Northgrove

Northgrove

macrumors 65816
Aug 3, 2010
1,149
437
Problem is they acknowledge Apple as a big threat with all this focus on a competitor. Same with the Scroogled ads and their Google obsession. Obsess about your own products. Like your competitors. Apple killed off the "PC guy" a long time ago now. For a reason.
 
Michael Goff

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,421
diazj3 said:
The second ad, the one about multiple user accounts and usage monitoring makes a very big point. The reason why Apple has not implementes this is, I guess, to sell more iPads, since it should be fairly simple to implement. That alone would make me seriously consider a Surface, specially with kids in the house.

Hopefully the competition will keep making better, more open products. That will benefit everyone.
Click to expand...

Android tablets have multiple users. ;)
 
balamw

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
roadbloc said:
Multiple accounts. The winning feature for me. iOS should have had support for them ages ago. (And on screen multitasking).
Click to expand...

I suspect that once the Touch ID sensors become readily available at good yield they'll be in the iPad Air 2, and Apple will implement multiple accounts in a much cleaner way than your typical password screen.

Right now the yield is not enough to have them in iPad and iPhone.

B
 
HiRez

HiRez

macrumors 603
Jan 6, 2004
6,250
2,576
Western US
I love my iPads (including new Air), but I have to say, the lack of multiple user logins are my #1 complaint about iPads (iOS, but you usually have your own phone), and has been since they came out in 2010.

It's a huge PITA in my family because we have 2 iPads that my wife and I both use, but a lot of the time you have to grab the "wrong" one when you can't find "yours" or one of the batteries is dead or whatever, and then it won't have your email, or Safari bookmarks, or iMessages/FaceTime, it won't be logged into your Game Center account, etc.

I can't imagine how bad it would be if we had kids involved as well. There you might have even bigger issues, like if your kid accidentally deletes your work email, or whatever. And, if you want to use parental restrictions, that then means everyone who uses that iPad has to live with those restrictions, which is not fun.

Apple needs to get on this, it's bad enough they have dragged their feet so long, but now this is a real, significant point of differentiation for MS and Android (I don't know if multi-user logins are built into base Android, but I know some Samsung tablets have it).

Hopefully TouchID sensors in iPads will make this easy for them to implement, and easy for us to use, but I hope they are working hard on that so when the hardware is ready, the software will be too.
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
I don't care if a magical pony comes and holds my iPad (or any tablet) in the kitchen because so long as it is on the counter it is taking valuable space and at risk for damage. I use this and it is awesome. So MS can take their kickstand. Not sure I'd want a surface just for a free hands free cooking app. I will buy an app if need be. I'm not sure that is a marketing angle they should use at all.

Overall, I think you get more for your money with MS but I am so dialed into the Apple ecosystem that I don't have room for an MS tablet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom