How will Apple counter Windows 8 tablets?

[Piggie]

How will Apple counter Windows 8 tablets?
Or indeed do you think they have to?

Apple has, in effect one tablet. Ok it comes in 3 memory sizes, 3G or not 3G and two colours. But in effect it's one model in one size with one speed.

Windows 8 tablets will come from a whole range of high end PC makers, In a variety of styles, screen sizes and powers. Some based upon Intel chipsets, others based on ARM chipsets.
Not only able to run tablet Metro based apps, but also full windows apps if you, the consumer should need or wish to.

Apple can see this coming with their, in effect single product, only make by themselves in the one size and design.

Do you think they are just not going to bother and assume they are untouchable in their current leading position, or do you think they are going to have to come out with a new product or products to offer consumers the choice that they will have from Windows 8 models.

In a years time there could be a whole line of various Windows 8 tablets on display at Best Buy, all running Metro, looking the same as Windows 8 does on people's new home computers. Are apple just going to still have just their single model on a stand at the end of the long line of Windows 8 models?

 

[MacDawg]

Just as I buy my computers for OS X and the Apple ecosystem to avoid Windows, the same is true of my tablet

I have no desire to run Windows/Metro/MS on my computer or my tablet as my primary OS regardless of the optional sizes and flavors

 

[NatefromRI]

There are rumors that Apple will release a smaller iPad later this year in the $200-300 price range. And, in my opinion, even if they didn't, the current iPad is enough to "counter" the Windows 8 tablet. The quality build, the fact that it integrates so well with iTunes, Apple TV, etc. not to mention all the Apps that may already be downloaded onto the user's iPhone, iPod Touch, other iPads, etc. will carry Apple forward.

And even if Windows Tablet is successful...that's OK too. Apple still set the standard for what a tablet could or should be. If Windows tablets come out with better features (I would be hard-pressed to see how that could happen but it could) it will likely cause Apple to add features in future models.

I downloaded Windows 8 onto a laptop to see what all the hub-bub was all about. To be frank, their app store leaves a lot to be desired with not even an app for Facebook or Yahoo mail yet. It'll be interesting to see what the future will bring.

 

[nuckinfutz]

There are multiple Android vendors for phones and tablets yet the iPhone and the iPad endure.

This is because the software is carefully tailored to each platform. Microsoft's plan may work but it may fail as well.

Often people are very modal in their workflow. A full on computer is going to excel at creating documents but that same workflow isn't necessarily needed when you are out and about.

I prefer two OS with the same foundation (iOS and OS X) tailored to what I need. The iPad has incredible battery life and is very fluid and that's what I need when I grab my iPad.

My Macbook Air has the filesystem and window management and automation and search tools and that's what I need when i'm culling information and creating documents.

Different workflows ....different expectations.

 

[treyjustice]

They won't counter them. No need to.

 

[Piggie]

One thing needs to be considered very carefully for the "average consumer"
In a few months time, most/many new PC's sold around the world, tens of millions, will come preloaded with Windows 8, which will give your typical consumer the new Metro interface to use and get used to at home.

Now this could fail or it could be taken up quite successfully by consumers who don't need to use the full desktop, or only need it very occasionally.

We could see the scenario where millions, tens of millions or more consumers with such PC's in the future go shopping for a tablet, and they see a wide variety of models at all shapes/sizes and price points all running the Metro interface they have been used to using at home since they had their PC.

So, will they think, great, I know how to use this already and I'll pick one the size and price point I want to have. Oh will they decide to pick something they don't know and have no experience of. An iPad ?

Like it or not. Tens/Hundreds of millions of people all round the world will be using, to some degree the new Metro interface in the near future, so will a table that looks familiar and runs the same programs temp them?

 

[nuckinfutz]

So, will they think, great, I know how to use this already and I'll pick one the size and price point I want to have. Oh will they decide to pick something they don't know and have no experience of. An iPad ?

Like it or not. Tens/Hundreds of millions of people all round the world will be using, to some degree the new Metro interface in the near future, so will a table that looks familiar and runs the same programs temp them?

Piggie add up all the iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads ever sold and then with a straight face try again to tell us there are tens or even hundreds of millions of people that don't know what iOS is.

You're creating unlikely and unbelievable scenarios. Apple is the incumbent leader. The only way to take drastic marketshare away is to be MUCH better. Is Windows 8 a much better platform? If you feel so ...tell us why.

 

[MacDawg]

I and many others have doubts about the Metro interface period

 

[noteple]

Like the Zune, here today gone tomorrow.

 

[Piggie]

Piggie add up all the iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads ever sold and then with a straight face try again to tell us there are tens or even hundreds of millions of people that don't know what iOS is.

You're creating unlikely and unbelievable scenarios. Apple is the incumbent leader. The only way to take drastic marketshare away is to be MUCH better. Is Windows 8 a much better platform? If you feel so ...tell us why.

I'm not saying what's better, I'm just considering future scenarios.
Whilst an iPad is the leader, it's only scraped the surface when it comes to ownership.

For example, I work with 30 people, 1 of which has an iPhone and none of which have iPads.
Others have Android phones and 1 person had a Samsung Galaxy Tablet.

I would hazard a guess, probably every single person of those 30 have a Windows based PC at home for their family computer.

So, let's move on a few years, and say most of those 30 people had Windows 8 based PC's and most of these people, had, of course been used to using the Metro interface and got used to it.

Will they all rush out and buy iPads, when they see Tablets that look the same as what they are used to?

I don't know what will happen, I'm just wondering if Apple will sit smugly by and just wait, feeling they are untouchable by this happening.

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Like the Zune, here today gone tomorrow.

Indeed yes, but the Zune was a single solitary product, this is a totally different scenario.

 

[nuckinfutz]

I'm not saying what's better, I'm just considering future scenarios.
Whilst an iPad is the leader, it's only scraped the surface when it comes to ownership.

For example, I work with 30 people, 1 of which has an iPhone and none of which have iPads.
Others have Android phones and 1 person had a Samsung Galaxy Tablet.

I would hazard a guess, probably every single person of those 30 have a Windows based PC at home for their family computer.

So, let's move on a few years, and say most of those 30 people had Windows 8 based PC's and most of these people, had, of course been used to using the Metro interface and got used to it.

Will they all rush out and buy iPads, when they see Tablets that look the same as what they are used to?

I don't know what will happen, I'm just wondering if Apple will sit smugly by and just wait, feeling they are untouchable by this happening.

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Indeed yes, but the Zune was a single solitary product, this is a totally different scenario.

No. This Apple isn't so smug that they're going to sit back and rest. A year ago the Tech Press told us that Apple's dominance would be over by now. iPad sales are accelerating...iPhone sales are strong. Apple's inertia is unmistakeable.

That being said I do see Microsoft taking share. They've got no choice but to make it work. Apple's counter will be

iOS devices are PC-Free but have exceptional integration with Macs. This puts them in an area of strength because all consumers really need to worry about is document compatibility and Apple has the best app store on the globe.

 

[Piggie]

Just one example.

I want a larger screened tablet for watching media on and perhaps occasionally playing games.
For a young child/small lady, the iPad seems a reasonably sized device. For a large framed tall male (as myself) my hand almost dwarf the iPad.

There is no way Apple are going to offer me a larger screen tablet is there?
And for the record, I have been saying I wanted a larger screened tablet from the day my 1st iPad 1 arrived on my doorstep on launch day.

I've no idea what I shall buy in the future (no iTunes would of course be a bonus) but if I find larger screened models in store which can offer me what I want for a the right price, I'd have no hesitation in buying something other than Apple.

 

[Rodster]

Apple doesn't need to counter the Windows 8 Tablet because it hasn't been released and Apple is the market leader. But i'm definitely getting one and probably the ASUS which will be a dual boot OS Tablet.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Piggie

I'm a proponent of a smaller iPad being delivered late this year. I just think the market is ready for a smaller iPad. Once that happens the myth that a tablet must be 10" goes away and we can start entertaining a more beefy tablet that is around 14" and meant to remain on the desk.

Think Wacom Cintique. Think Procreate (painting app) in high rez on a screen this large.

Think about running a mobile version of Aperture, Final Cut and more apps on something like this.

In a couple of years ARM will have SoC that perform as well as Core2 Duo. That doesn't sound like much until the realization of how lightweight iOS is kicks in. It would FLY!!

 

[chrono1081]

As others have stated I don't think Apple will need to counter Windows 8 tablets. You'll find only a few people who actually like the OS.

You'll find most every company out there deems it unusable for business purposes. Its gotten lots of thumbs down in the IT world. I don't know a single person who wants to support it.

I understand Microsofts idea, but I think they went about it in a wrong way. Two different desktops is not a good thing for most business users as those users are rarely tech savvy.

I really hope 9 goes back to how 7 is. 7 was the best version of Windows in my opinion, 8 so far, in my experience is the worst.

 

[Piggie]

Just to point out.

I'm not wanting an argument, I'm just interested in people's views.

As I said, like it or not tens or hundreds of millions of people over the next few years will be used to using the Metro interface and that will make a difference when/if they select a tablet, like it or not.

I've owned an iPad since day 1, and it's great product.
Ok, I despise iTunes with a passion. I hate that it does not play Flash and I hate that it has no SD Card or USB slot so I can move medie to/from it with ease.

If another product can offer me that, then I will consider moving to that product. I am not a fanboy and I'm happy to move onto new things of they suit my needs better.

 

[Rodster]

You'll find most every company out there deems it unusable for business purposes. Its gotten lots of thumbs down in the IT world. I don't know a single person who wants to support it.

As a desktop OS then yes it's getting a bad rep but i've read glowing previews when it's running on a Touch device such as a Tablet or an AIO touch computer.

 

[nuckinfutz]

I've owned an iPad since day 1, and it's great product.
Ok, I despise iTunes with a passion. I hate that it does not play Flash and I hate that it has no SD Card or USB slot so I can move medie to/from it with ease.

.

File it away for claim chowder but in 5 years I believe every device will have 4G or whatever successor comes included. Consumers will naturally expect to have mobile device link to their personal cloud and the notion of using iTunes or any kind of wired tether to sync will feel so byzantine that most products will move towards minimalistic ports (Thunderbolt and Wireless)

The lines between local and cloud storage will be blurred. Your content will just be available everywhere.

 

[Rodster]

File it away for claim chowder but in 5 years I believe every device will have 4G or whatever successor comes included. Consumers will naturally expect to have mobile device link to their personal cloud and the notion of using iTunes or any kind of wired tether to sync will feel so byzantine that most products will move towards minimalistic ports (Thunderbolt and Wireless)

The lines between local and cloud storage will be blurred. Your content will just be available everywhere.

I totally agree with all of that which is why MS is moving Windows 8 to the Metro UI. I really like the Metro UI especially on the Xbox 360 and from i've seen on the Tablets.

But yeah Apple guessed right and Tablets will eventually replace the computer as we know it today.

 

[transphasic]

Just as I buy my computers for OS X and the Apple ecosystem to avoid Windows, the same is true of my tablet

I have no desire to run Windows/Metro/MS on my computer or my tablet as my primary OS regardless of the optional sizes and flavors

While seemingly WOT, I am so ****ing pissed at M$ right now, I wouldn't buy/use one of their products if you gave it to me.

There are many of us who have had it with them, and I'll keep buying apple stuff just to avoid them.

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For a young child/small lady, the iPad seems a reasonably sized device. For a large framed tall male (as myself) my hand almost dwarf the iPad.There is no way Apple are going to offer me a larger screen tablet is there?And for the record, I have been saying I wanted a larger screened tablet from the day my 1st iPad 1 arrived on my doorstep on launch day.

I am picturing a scene in a movie (might have been a James Bond film with the villain Jaws) where he rips out the front car seat to sit in the back since he was so tall...you can try carrying around an iMac and just put the keyboard in a back pocket...

 

[McGiord]

The natural evolution will be to have the same OS for Macs and iDevices, therefore they can run anything on any device. Unless Windows 8 or 9 is really successful, we will not see Apple's move.

 

[iEvolution]

I think Windows 8 does bring some neat innovative features to the market but its Microsoft right now that has all the pressure put on them. So at this point I don't see the need for Apple to counter anything, they are doing a excellent job with their own vision rather than trying to counter other products features.

Microsoft is going to have one hell of a time getting market share in the tablet market because like the Zune, they are way late to the game. They are going to have to offer incentives to 3rd party developers to develop for their platform if they are going to succeed.

Microsoft's success is going to be riding on 3rd party developers, if not many develop for the platform there isn't going to be much incentive to switch.

 

[Piggie]

But yeah Apple guessed right and Tablets will eventually replace the computer as we know it today.

For Some People.

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The lines between local and cloud storage will be blurred. Your content will just be available everywhere.

In the very very distant future.
When cloud storage is far far larger and cheaper than it is today, everyone has ultra fast access all around the world, and data speeds are massively faster.

This is probably many many years away.

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The natural evolution will be to have the same OS for Macs and iDevices, therefore they can run anything on any device. Unless Windows 8 or 9 is really successful, we will not see Apple's move.

A lot, the vast majority of Mac users on these forums will reel at horror at the prospect of this. Dumbing down Mac computing to iOS levels.

 

[SpyderBite]

In the very very distant future.
When cloud storage is far far larger and cheaper than it is today, everyone has ultra fast access all around the world, and data speeds are massively faster.

This is probably many many years away.

I don't think it is quite that far off. There are technologies we are using now that people with less foresight such as yourself estimated to be decades away from being used in the mainstream.

A couple more years is a little more realistic and a lot less pessimistic.

 

[iEvolution]

I totally agree with all of that which is why MS is moving Windows 8 to the Metro UI. I really like the Metro UI especially on the Xbox 360 and from i've seen on the Tablets.

But yeah Apple guessed right and Tablets will eventually replace the computer as we know it today.

Without a file system on the iPad, it'll never replace a computer. For production a touch screen is clumbsy and inefficient. As a play device its great. I still don't see tablets replacing computers, I see them as side kicks.