Microsoft Working on Wireless In-Ear 'Surface Buds' to Rival AirPods

[jedifaka]

There's little point in comparing Apple products with Microsoft Surface products. Apple products are sold in massive numbers and don't compete with other hardware vendors running Apple software.
Surface stuff isn't like that at all. Surface products are frequently showcases of what's possible with the platform and often carry an element of risk. The Surface Pro was weird - and not even very good in its first few iterations. But it eventually sparked a whole family of Windows tablet products from Microsoft partners. Now they're all over the place.
The Surface brand is more like a software showcase. By design, it's never going to compete with, say, Dell, let alone Apple.
I wouldn't be surprised if these buds, if they ever come to market, are $300 and never even make it onto any top ten marketshare list. But they'll likely carry a feature or two that seems weird. If the weird stuff is successful, you can bet it'll be adopted much more widely.

 

[Osxguy]

Only if they come in the beautiful brown color of the zune.....

Someone had to say it....

I’d love for these companies to stop copying each other and actually innovate.....

One can dream...

 

[Tomhauber]

Zunebuds™...

Oh no, those would flop.

Wonder if they would brown as well?

 

[craigmak]

So I lost mine in the case and all. I searched everywhere to no avail (all I had was the grayed out last known location on 'Find My iPhone' and it showed them in my house). I gave up.

A month later I found them at the end of a customer's driveway with 100% case charge and 98% bud charge, which was bizarre to me. They worked instantly. They had been through the end of February and most of March in New England and were STILL WORKING PERFECTLY FINE! I couldn't believe it. I had already ordered a pair of gen 2's that arrived that same day.

I wouldn't ever experiment with them when it comes to water damage, but my mind was blown. Maybe because they were in the case? I had one bud get wet (fell out under a running spigot) some time ago and had to replace it. It made me happy since since I've become frustrated regarding some of their other products (MBP!).

Yeah I left mine in a shirt pocket and put in the washing machine. It killed the charging case but after going through the hassle (Apple could not find my day one order) of getting a new charging case the AirPods work great.

 

[Intellectua1]

“Microsoft is working to develop new brand name after failure of the Surface moniker”. I fixed the title for you! Amazon/Microsoft/Samsung all try to compete with Apple and their earphones/tablets/smartphones, the best selling products on the market.

Sure pal

 

[jgibson24]

“Microsoft is working to develop new brand name after failure of the Surface moniker”. I fixed the title for you! Amazon/Microsoft/Samsung all try to compete with Apple and their earphones/tablets/smartphones, the best selling products on the market.

Best Selling? They dominate when it comes to profits - no one can argue with the approach Apple has taken with phones. But best selling? Not even close. Both Huawei and Samsung sell many millions more phones than Apple on a quarterly basis.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Best Selling? They dominate when it comes to profits - no one can argue with the approach Apple has taken with phones. But best selling? Not even close. Both Huawei and Samsung sell many millions more phones than Apple on a quarterly basis.

They don’t just dominate in profits, (but yeah they do) but they’ve got the highest sales as well. It’s not even close. When you take in more revenue than all the other manufacturers put together—and 3 times more than the next closest competitor—best selling is pretty much what you are. Maybe some would prefer highest selling or highest sales?

“Apple now accounts for more revenue than the rest of the entire global smartphone industry combined. Apple generated three times more smartphone revenue than nearest rival Samsung and 7 times more than Huawei. Apple iPhone’s average selling price is approaching US$800 and almost three times higher than the overall industry average.”

https://www.strategyanalytics.com/s...hare-of-global-smartphone-revenues-in-q4-2017

This was published February 2018, I couldn’t find anything more recent, maybe someone else can. I don’t expect it’s changed significantly though.

 

[AEWest]

“Microsoft is working to develop new brand name after failure of the Surface moniker”. I fixed the title for you! Amazon/Microsoft/Samsung all try to compete with Apple and their earphones/tablets/smartphones, the best selling products on the market.

How are iPhones the best selling on the market when Samsung shipped 293M smartphones in 2018 vs 212M for Apple?

 

[jgibson24]

They don’t just dominate in profits, (but yeah they do) but they’ve got the highest sales as well. It’s not even close. When you take in more revenue than all the other manufacturers put together—and 3 times more than the next closest competitor—best selling is pretty much what you are. Maybe some would prefer highest selling or highest sales?

“Apple now accounts for more revenue than the rest of the entire global smartphone industry combined. Apple generated three times more smartphone revenue than nearest rival Samsung and 7 times more than Huawei. Apple iPhone’s average selling price is approaching US$800 and almost three times higher than the overall industry average.”

https://www.strategyanalytics.com/s...hare-of-global-smartphone-revenues-in-q4-2017

View attachment 832338

This was published February 2018, I couldn’t find anything more recent, maybe someone else can. I don’t expect it’s changed significantly though.

Apple winning in revenue and profit while what every business should shoot for doesn't make them #1 in sales. What it means is their devices cost a whole lot more than the competition and their margins are significantly higher. They did jump back over Huawei in Q4 after losing Q2 and Q3.

Total 2018 sales and marketshare (in thousands) from Gartner
#1 Samsung - 295,043 - 19% market share
#2 Apple - 209,048 - 13.4% market share
#3 Huawei - 202,901 - 13.0% market share

Drops in sales in 2018 for both Samsung and Apple and significant gains for Huawei.

 

[sw1tcher]

"Hey Apple did something good! Let's all copy them" - all companies since 1979

Steve Jobs: "Picasso had a saying -- 'good artists copy; great artists steal' -- and we have always been shameless about stealing great ideas."

 

[araadt]

The earbuds are currently in development under the code name "Morrison."

I'm just going to wonder out loud… designed by Jasper Morrison?

 

[Dave.UK]

It's funny, you go to a different thread on this site and people are saying that Apple is the one that's behind and copying others nowadays. I guess it's just a loyalty thing. There's no doubt that Apple was first to the game with AirPods, among the major players.

Samsung Gear IconX - Released July 15 2016
Apple Airpods - Released December 13 2016

 

[PickUrPoison]

Apple winning in revenue and profit while what every business should shoot for doesn't make them #1 in sales.
<snip>

Well sales is another word for revenue, so it really does. But I’m sure you meant #1 in quantity sold, or #1 in unit sales. Or maybe #1 in market share.

But Apple does have the record for the best selling smartphone of all time, 220 million iPhone 6/6 Plus. Gallery S4 is next at 80 million.

More recently the iPhone X was the world’s best selling smartphone:

https://www.counterpointresearch.co...ng-smartphone-xiaomi-enters-top-3-first-time/

These are the latest numbers I could find for best-selling smartphones, maybe someone else can find something more recent.

How are iPhones the best selling on the market when Samsung shipped 293M smartphones in 2018 vs 212M for Apple?

I haven’t seen any numbers release yet for the full year 2018, but as of Q1 the best selling phone was the iPhone X, iPhone 8 or 8 Plus was the second best selling, depending on whose numbers you look at.

 

[jgibson24]

Well sales is another word for revenue, so it really does. But I’m sure you meant #1 in quantity sold, or #1 in unit sales. Or maybe #1 in market share.

But Apple does have the record for the best selling smartphone of all time, 220 million iPhone 6/6 Plus. Gallery S4 is next at 80 million.

More recently the iPhone X was the world’s best selling smartphone:

View attachment 832347


View attachment 832348

https://www.counterpointresearch.co...ng-smartphone-xiaomi-enters-top-3-first-time/

These are the latest numbers I could find for best-selling smartphones, maybe someone else can find something more recent.



I haven’t seen any numbers release yet for the full year 2018, but as of Q1 the best selling phone was the iPhone X, iPhone 8 or 8 Plus was the second best selling, depending on whose numbers you look at.

Sales is not a synonym for revenue. If you want to say best selling individual specific model, of course. Samsung throws everything against the wall to see what sticks and has a ton of different iterations in the Galaxy line alone.

But we already do have the numbers for 2018 and Samsung sold 86 million more smartphones than Apple did. Not that it matters though as I and everyone else on the planet would much rather have Apple's business. Give me 2nd or 3rd place in sales if it comes with that average selling price and margins any day.

 

[falainber]

At least Samsung copies Apple immediately - - Microsoft takes 3 years to do it.

Samsung first true wireless earbuds (Gear IconX) were released in June 2016. Apple copied them by December 2016. Some Apple fans think Apple invented everything whereas the reality is that Apple mostly copies stuff invented by othe companies.

 

[I7guy]

Samsung first true wireless earbuds (Gear IconX) were released in June 2016. Apple copied them by December 2016. Some Apple fans think Apple invented everything whereas the reality is that Apple mostly copies stuff invented by othe companies.

Do you think Apple actually started to copy the Samsung design starting in June 2016, from design to manufacture in 6 months? I do not think that is possible.

I think these companies like the fashion industry copy from one another. (Similar to the hyperbole that Apple copied a bigger screen with the iPhone 6.)

 

[KevinN206]

Steve Jobs: "Picasso had a saying -- 'good artists copy; great artists steal' -- and we have always been shameless about stealing great ideas."

Kinda like:

Apple Music copies Spotify, Pandora, Google Play Music
Apple TV+ copies Netflix, Hulu
Apple Watch copies Samsung Galaxy Gear
[doublepost=1555386869][/doublepost]

"Hey Apple did something good! Let's all copy them" - all companies since 1979

How do you feel about these?

Apple Music copies Spotify, Pandora, Google Play Music
Apple TV+ copies Netflix, Hulu
Apple Watch copies Samsung Galaxy Gear
Ohh... don't forget Galaxy Gear IconX was released BEFORE the AirPod announcement

 

[bobob]

Samsung released their first generation Gear IconX buds on July 15, 2016.

Apple announced the AirPods on September 7, 2016.

Might want to lay off the Kool-Aid.

I do understand where you're coming from - - confusing the early implementations of a technology with the first perfected implementation is a very common error. The 2016 Gear IconX buds are not at all the same type of design as AirPods, however I do appreciate your use of italics in your attempt to make a point, it's a great example of using style for emphasis. Unfortunately, your resorting to the Kool-Aid trope provides a lazy and disappointing conclusion to your post. I offer all best wishes in your budding development in writing skill.

 

[Steve121178]

Interesting, wonder how they can incorporate that iconic design for noise-cancellation, if at all.

My wireless Sony WF-1000X earbuds have noise cancellation. Works well.

 

[racerhomie]

Interesting, wonder how they can incorporate that iconic design for noise-cancellation, if at all.

Ding ding ding! Found the Microsoft employee

 

[jgibson24]

I do understand where you're coming from - - confusing the early implementations of a technology with the first perfected implementation is a very common error. The 2016 Gear IconX buds are not at all the same type of design as AirPods, however I do appreciate your use of italics in your attempt to make a point, it's a great example of using style for emphasis. Unfortunately, your resorting to the Kool-Aid trope provides a lazy and disappointing conclusion to your post. I offer all best wishes in your budding development in writing skill.

I love my AirPods so this isn't a critcism at all - but I am lucky - they fit well for me. They don't for millions of others. AirPods are not "perfected implementation" - not even close. They are currently the best out there but this is not a finished category. Surface Team has been innovative with form factors like the Surface Studio which is a homerun of good design. Most Apple users I know would love to have an iMac with that form factor and touch. With others they iterative but taking chances that are less successful and weird - like Alcantara fabric on the keyboards. I almost certainly won't purchase Surface Buds but I am pretty certain that the only thing they'll be dramatically different than AirPods and if the renderings are correct will have options for different ear shapes that the iPods all or nothing design precludes.

 

[bchery21]

Ding ding ding! Found the Microsoft employee

Nope. I just read/watch the reviews...

 

[tCdemon]

...and they will install an update every time you shut them down.

 

[alphaod]

If it'll be easy to pair between different PCs and devices like the AirPods are easy to transition from iOS devices and Macs then I'll be interested.

I see people at the gym, “sweating like a pig(as it were)”, with AirPods. I personally wouldn’t use them like that since Apple was clear they are not sweat resistant. But to each their own.

During a workout I look like someone doused me in water. The AirPods might suck in repairability but they sure as heck work well in wet condition including sweat. Mine are not shiny anymore because I clean then with rubbing alcohol, but they are pretty durable.

I had these inductive earphones I bought before that said they were for working out… yeah they would stop functioning like 30 minutes into my workouts

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Zunebuds™...

Oh no, those would flop.

Man, I hate you. You just made me remember my brown zune. I loved that thing so much. If MS would have just hung in there and improved those, they were so good. Thing was a tank.