Lets be honest...

[AdonisSMU]

If MS Surface or Samsing Galaxy Series tablets launched without their stylus and keyboard we would be making fun of them. Apple iPad Pro launches without the marqee features and everyone seems just fine with it. Do you agree?

 

[sjleworthy]

No. People are criticising Apple too, big time, fans and customers alike.

Im not fine, im waiting too, and am a huge Apple device advocate, yet Apple's launch is absolutely disgusting. No excuses.

 

[Atomic Walrus]

If MS Surface or Samsing Galaxy Series tablets launched without their stylus and keyboard we would be making fun of them. Apple pencil launches without the marqee features and everyone seems just fine with it. Do you agree?

The only difference for me is that if Samsung or MS did this, I'd just think "oh you goofballs, no one at your company knows what anyone else is doing." And to be clear I've got the Surface Pro (original) and the Note phone, I'm platform agnostic.

This feels more like a social experiment, but I don't think the people who set it up are in on the joke. You want it. We don't have it. We keep them in a little tray by the door, but you can't have one. Will you steal it? No, you have to keep coming back in and trying it. We'll get 5 today, but it will be at a random time of day or night. Don't steal the free ones by the door! When you ask about the Pencil we will act confused, and say things like "I don't think we have any?" *shrug*

In reality it looks like an accidental early retail launch, but I'm curious how something like that happens with a company like Apple. It's probably the same reason I'd think of for MS or Samsung, actually: Coordination failure.

 

[danmart]

I don't want a chunky keyboard on my iPad, so I'm totally happy with that. And I'm not 100% sure I want a Pencil either.

I would offer you a counter example - Xbox One was originally packaged with Kinect as a mandatory accessory and people were up in arms. Then MS relented and allowed you to buy one without.

 

[Floris]

No. People are criticising Apple too, big time, fans and customers alike.

Im not fine, im waiting too, and am a huge Apple device advocate, yet Apple's launch is absolutely disgusting. No excuses.

Vomit on the street on top of a dog, that's disgusting.. Can you explain to me what you find disgusting about Apple's launch of the iPad (Pro)?

 

[Atomic Walrus]

I would offer you a counter example - Xbox One was originally packaged with Kinect as a mandatory accessory and people were up in arms. Then MS relented and allowed you to buy one without.

But why are those the only options? Either it's bundled or the ratio of accessories to devices at launch is <= 1:1000? There wasn't a limited supply of Pencils at launch, there were zero. Still are zero, some stores have never even received any to sell. The ones that have got single-digit numbers.

 

[sjleworthy]

Vomit on the street on top of a dog, that's disgusting.. Can you explain to me what you find disgusting about Apple's launch of the iPad (Pro)?

Sure

First off, the lack of UK pricing until day of release, and even then it took hours to update and display, not only that but there was no obvious 'buy' button visible for ages after either. I had to have a link given me from another forum member here. Crappy.
And the almost non-existence of pencil and keyboard for weeks. Awful from a company like Apple. Not what i've previously experienced with them.
From me, thats disgusting. Dont like the word?, use your own.

 

[Floris]

Sure

The lack of UK pricing until eve of release and the almost non-existence of pencil and keyboard for weeks. Awful from a company like Apple. Not what i've previously experienced with them.
From me, thats disgusting. Dont like the word?, use your own.

Thank you. I appreciate the follow up. Yeah, I think dissatisfying or regrettable better words for being disappointed to a certainly level. Disgusting is a bit extreme. Anyway, it's a bit silly isn't it to advertise the complete package, but not have it as a build to order upgrade or even available yet.

 

[sjleworthy]

No probs

I think choice of words is so individual. Different words evoke different meanings to different demographs of course. I could rant on for hours about a lot of americanisms if i had a spare few hours.....
That word to me is apt and i stand by it

 

[Floris]

No probs

I think choice of words is so individual. Different words evoke different meanings to different demographs of course. I could rant on for hours about a lot of americanisms if i had a spare few hours.....
That word to me is apt and i stand by it

We are agreeing that it's not worth the discussion.

 

[judahde]

Just the opposite. I ensured that my concerns/issues were heard and did get three callbacks from various levels in Apple about it. A Pencil was made available yesterday, for which I'm appreciative, but that doesn't change my impression that the whole product release was a train wreck.

I own both Samsung Galaxy and MS Surface products. I agree there would have been heavy criticism if they had dropped the ball in a similar fashion as Apple did this week.

I've owned and run multi-unit retail establishments. It's all about messaging and setting expectations BEFORE a release, not being good at damage control (although that is a necessary skill oftentimes). They should have set a firm date for both in-store purchases and pre-orders. And, they could have easily reported "limited supplies" of the accessories. That would have diffused a lot of what has happened.

 

[Rogifan]

If MS Surface or Samsing Galaxy Series tablets launched without their stylus and keyboard we would be making fun of them. Apple pencil launches without the marqee features and everyone seems just fine with it. Do you agree?

I don't think anybody is fine with it. There's been lots of complaining about it here.

 

[ZombiePete]

If MS Surface or Samsing Galaxy Series tablets launched without their stylus and keyboard we would be making fun of them. Apple pencil launches without the marqee features and everyone seems just fine with it. Do you agree?

Eh...yeah, it is kind of sloppy, there's no getting around that. I've been irritated by the slow trickle of product available at several of the past Apple launches. It's not to the point where I'm like ready to jump ship or anything, but it certainly would be nice if I had the whole package for the iPP right now.

I will say that the Surface not launching with its keyboard would have been quite a bit worse for MS though; unlike iOS, Windows was not designed to be used entirely without peripherals. The iPP works perfectly fine without the add-on hardware, we're just missing out on the enhanced features rather than missing key functionality. Yes, for some the reason for buying the iPP was the Pencil (and maybe even the keyboard; I know that was a big selling point for me!), but at least in the meantime we can still use our iPads like we normally would.

Small comfort, to be sure, but it is what it is.

 

[Mystro]

I will get the pencil but its not why I purchased the Pro. I am more aggravated by the lack of smart cover options.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Sure

First off, the lack of UK pricing until day of release, and even then it took hours to update and display, not only that but there was no obvious 'buy' button visible for ages after either. I had to have a link given me from another forum member here. Crappy.
And the almost non-existence of pencil and keyboard for weeks. Awful from a company like Apple. Not what i've previously experienced with them.
From me, thats disgusting. Dont like the word?, use your own.

There was uk pricing 2 days before release.

I can see why Apple did it this way. Apple has a liberal return policy. I think theyd rather not deal with all the drama of people who were just trying it out to be returning pencils and keyboard and the like.

 

[sjleworthy]

There was uk pricing 2 days before release.

there certainly wasn't, not officially in the Apple site. UK pricing didnt come along until the morning of release, and even then it lagged and wasn't obvious. i was eager to purchase and struggled.

 

[AFEPPL]

So true.... if anyone else did it, people would be up in arms how poorly thought it is.

 

[ucfgrad93]

This hasn't been a very smooth launch, no doubt about it. Apple should have delayed the launch until they were able to produce more pencils and keyboards.

 

[whodatrr]

Cab't speak too the Galaxy, because I've never owned one. regarding the Surface Pro, which I do own, it's an apples to orange comparison.

the Surface Pro 3/4 is, in fact, a laptop replacement. The iPad Pro is a big table. Two different things, entirely.

 

[Rogifan]

Cab't speak too the Galaxy, because I've never owned one. regarding the Surface Pro, which I do own, it's an apples to orange comparison.

the Surface Pro 3/4 is, in fact, a laptop replacement. The iPad Pro is a big table. Two different things, entirely.

It's a laptop replacement because it's a laptop. Do you ever see anyone using the device without the kickstand and keyboard attached? Do you ever see Microsoft marketing the device without the kickstand and keyboard attached? No and no.

 

[whodatrr]

Actually, I rarely have the keyboard on it, when I'm dragging not about the house in consumption mode. I also don't use the KB, when it' docked. It's just easier to hold on the couch, and simpler to place on a table or countertop. I'm always hunting for where I put my keyboard... that's a thing, in my house.... LOL

With iPads, I leave the cover on, because I'm often using the smart cover to prop it up. With the Surface, there's no need, because I have a kickstand.

But if I'm traveling outside of the house, it always dons its keyboard.

It's a laptop replacement because it's a laptop. Do you ever see anyone using the device without the kickstand and keyboard attached? Do you ever see Microsoft marketing the device without the kickstand and keyboard attached? No and no.

 

[Liffey]

If MS Surface or Samsing Galaxy Series tablets launched without their stylus and keyboard we would be making fun of them. Apple iPad Pro launches without the marqee features and everyone seems just fine with it. Do you agree?

Eh? Absolutely no one is fine with this. It's an embarrassment.

 

[Atomic Walrus]

It's a laptop replacement because it's a laptop. Do you ever see anyone using the device without the kickstand and keyboard attached? Do you ever see Microsoft marketing the device without the kickstand and keyboard attached? No and no.

I use my SP1 the same way I'll use the iPP. Often this means in one hand, writing on it with the other. Or at least writing on it at a table. I don't own a keyboard for the device. Basically, if you're in a math or science field (I've seen doctors carrying them too) then it makes a great digital notebook. Maybe not a super common usage, but I disagree that the SP has to be a laptop before a tablet. The only thing keeping me from moving to SP4 is the disappointing N-trig pen tech.

 

[yicaiweng]

totally not cool with it. Apple launch has been ****** since the Apple Watch

 

[AppleRobert]

While I'm not cool with it, it might be a blessing cause I would have dove in head first for the Apple keyboard no questions asked. But now asking myself do I really want to spend the money they want for it so thank you Apple. Perhaps others are also pondering that more now.