Microsoft to quit making surface products?!

[slitherjef]

Just ran across this article.

Probably major speculation though

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...s://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/10/04/surface/

 

[pat500000]

It's hard to support the company's products if they don't maintain consistency.

 

[Michael Goff]

Not hard to imagine with their recent moves.

 

[hallux]

Speaking from experience - the devices has trouble with some enterprise tools. I'm not saying that means they should stop making them but it results in a loss of market share for the devices.

 

[AFEPPL]

They are going no where.
The products are halo devices to inspire other companies to push forward with their hardware devices.

Great products without a doubt.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

This is surprising if true.

 

[Technarchy]

Speaking from experience - the devices has trouble with some enterprise tools. I'm not saying that means they should stop making them but it results in a loss of market share for the devices.

Most so-called enterprise devices are complete garbage so what you are saying does not surprise me one bit.

 

[nviz22]

They need to focus on selling on volume rather than maximizing profit margins. $800 is the entry price for the SP5 and SP4 right now at the Microsoft Store. I am not saying an Atom model needs to exist, but they can at least bring in a fanless i3 in a 10-11" framework and sell it for about $300 as an entry model. Gotta do away with the Surface Pen not being included too.

 

[FFR]

If true, surface was a terrible business model for Microsoft, or just not very popular.

 

[Michael Goff]

They need to focus on selling on volume rather than maximizing profit margins. $800 is the entry price for the SP5 and SP4 right now at the Microsoft Store. I am not saying an Atom model needs to exist, but they can at least bring in a fanless i3 in a 10-11" framework and sell it for about $300 as an entry model. Gotta do away with the Surface Pen not being included too.

There's a difference between getting rid of margin and losing money with each sale.

 

[nviz22]

There's a difference between getting rid of margin and losing money with each sale.

Well, if they can manufacture a 1080p/i3/4GB RAM model for $100, they can sell $300 or $350 to at least make some margins and be able to pay manufacturing costs, administrative costs, overhead, and any other costs associated with selling an entry level Surface.

 

[Michael Goff]

Well, if they can manufacture a 1080p/i3/4GB RAM model for $100, they can sell $300 or $350 to at least make some margins and be able to pay manufacturing costs, administrative costs, overhead, and any other costs associated with selling an entry level Surface.

You think they can manufacture a tablet with a decent screen, 4gb of RAM and an i3 for 100$? That's adorable.

 

[sracer]

All of the classic Microsoft tell-tale signs are there that Microsoft will be sunsetting the Surface line. They won't officially announce it until everyone already knows it. And it won't happen overnight.

Each and every time this happens, I point it out, and people refuse to believe. That's okay. I'm not trying to convince anyone to change their mind, but I WOULD caution anyone looking to make a long-term investment in Surface hardware to consider that purchase carefully.

 

[kazmac]

Wow...if that's the case, what a shame. I love the idea of the Surface Studio, but the old internals and price point make it a questionable purchase from the get-go.

 

[convergent]

First of all, this should be in the Alternative to MacOS forum, as the Surface line is computers, not phones. Second, this article is complete speculation and guessing what the CEO is going to do. They certainly may do it... but it would make zero sense based on their current pattern. They are rolling out new products all the time, and more this month. Why would they be investing in a line, and expanding it, when they intend to cancel the whole thing. There are lot of silly comments in this thread about the line being terrible, but I doubt any of those come from people that have used the products.

You could right a similar article about Apple canceling the Mac line, and it would make more sense because there are models they haven't upgraded in years, and they aren't really pushing anything that new out. All their attention is on phones.

I will be disappointed if they pull out, because the Surface Pro is a great device. Its by far the computer I've gotten the most excited about owning going back many years.... probably to my first real laptop.
[doublepost=1507247615][/doublepost]

Wow...if that's the case, what a shame. I love the idea of the Surface Studio, but the old internals and price point make it a questionable purchase from the get-go.

Kind of like many Macs right before they are updated?

 

[frankgrimes]

This is completely speculation on the inquirers part. Microsoft is making billions with that lineup why would they kill it. They've just released the Surface laptop and some surface accessories.

The versatility and power of the Surface Pro is just awesome. The Surface Studio is well a device for Pros who can write it off from taxes

Also something to consider you can't put a pricetag on brand recognition the Surface brand is well known by now when people are talking MacBook Pro, Thinkpads, The Surface line is right there and of course the xps lineup from Dell.

Is Apple making a killing with their MBP lineup and MacPros? No their bread and butter is the IPhone mean it would be wise to kill everything else weather shareholders agree or not.

The downfall of their phones were complexity, killing of the Nokia brand and going up against 2 established mature operating systems Android and Ios.

Other than a potential Dell 2 in 1 update (oled, U CPU) and fhe yoga thinkpad 370 Update (almost perfect just use 1440p oled) there really isnt anything coming close to what the Surface line offers. By the way unless you have to type, search and take a lot of notes you really don't appreciate the difference a 3:2 ratio makes enough.

BTW it took MS 4 to 5 years to establish this brand and it all started with the Surface Pro 3. To me that's impressive

 

[kazmac]

First of all, this should be in the Alternative to MacOS forum, as the Surface line is computers, not phones. Second, this article is complete speculation and guessing what the CEO is going to do. They certainly may do it... but it would make zero sense based on their current pattern. They are rolling out new products all the time, and more this month. Why would they be investing in a line, and expanding it, when they intend to cancel the whole thing. There are lot of silly comments in this thread about the line being terrible, but I doubt any of those come from people that have used the products.

You could right a similar article about Apple canceling the Mac line, and it would make more sense because there are models they haven't upgraded in years, and they aren't really pushing anything that new out. All their attention is on phones.

I will be disappointed if they pull out, because the Surface Pro is a great device. Its by far the computer I've gotten the most excited about owning going back many years.... probably to my first real laptop.
[doublepost=1507247615][/doublepost]

Kind of like many Macs right before they are updated?

Indeed (poor Mac Mini and Mac Pro.) If the Studio is updated with more powerful internals, I'll keep it on my radar (I'd love to have one desktop computer/workstation for video edits, video conversions, drawing, photo editing along with all the writing.)

I like the idea that MS are trying new things with the Surface hardware, so I hope that article is speculation. That said, MS probably sell a lot more if the prices were more consumer friendly and the hardware was updated more frequently.

 

[convergent]

Indeed (poor Mac Mini and Mac Pro.) If the Studio is updated with more powerful internals, I'll keep it on my radar (I'd love to have one desktop computer/workstation for video edits, video conversions, drawing, photo editing along with all the writing.)

I like the idea that MS are trying new things with the Surface hardware, so I hope that article is speculation. That said, MS probably sell a lot more if the prices were more consumer friendly and the hardware was updated more frequently.

Yes, but they are primarily a software vendor, and the Surface line is a premium line they use to showcase and push different platforms. They created the detachable screen market of tablets, and today I think that is the only mobile computer platform that is growing. It started with just Microsoft, and now you have HP, Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, Acer, and others making competitive products in that market. Microsoft gets a piece of every one of them.

I worked for a major Systems Integrator years ago and we deployed thousands of computers. The margins on the computers were razor thin. Everyone that we deployed we cut a check to Microsoft and they shipped nothing. We built and installed the image and cut them a check for about 20% of the price the customer was paying. Microsoft needs the Surface line, but not necessarily to drive huge market share grabs that would undermine their mainline business. Google is in a similar space with many of their products running Android. Completely different model from Apple.

 

[kazmac]

Yes, but they are primarily a software vendor, and the Surface line is a premium line they use to showcase and push different platforms. They created the detachable screen market of tablets, and today I think that is the only mobile computer platform that is growing. It started with just Microsoft, and now you have HP, Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, Acer, and others making competitive products in that market. Microsoft gets a piece of every one of them.

I worked for a major Systems Integrator years ago and we deployed thousands of computers. The margins on the computers were razor thin. Everyone that we deployed we cut a check to Microsoft and they shipped nothing. We built and installed the image and cut them a check for about 20% of the price the customer was paying. Microsoft needs the Surface line, but not necessarily to drive huge market share grabs that would undermine their mainline business. Google is in a similar space with many of their products running Android. Completely different model from Apple.

Thanks for sharing that and for the Google comparison. I know MS are software first, but it's interesting to learn the hardware perspective from someone who saw it from your perspective.

At any rate, I do hope they continue the Surface line (and perhaps license the Studio to a company that does more business with hardware.) This whole idea of Halo products is something I learned of in this thread so I appreciate having a better understanding of the Surface hardware.

 

[convergent]

Thanks for sharing that and for the Google comparison. I know MS are software first, but it's interesting to learn the hardware perspective from someone who saw it from your perspective.

At any rate, I do hope they continue the Surface line (and perhaps license the Studio to a company that does more business with hardware.) This whole idea of Halo products is something I learned of in this thread so I appreciate having a better understanding of the Surface hardware.

Dell is now making a clone of the Surface Studio I believe... I'm sure more will follow. Apple should be owning that market. They had the arts customers and have let the iMac line just go stale. They aren't willing to consider what can be done with touch on a full function computer, and are hell bent on proving that a big iPad can serve everyone's purposes. Someone is going to take this away from them. Microsoft is just making a strong suggestion on how to do it.

 

[kazmac]

Dell is now making a clone of the Surface Studio I believe... I'm sure more will follow. Apple should be owning that market. They had the arts customers and have let the iMac line just go stale. They aren't willing to consider what can be done with touch on a full function computer, and are hell bent on proving that a big iPad can serve everyone's purposes. Someone is going to take this away from them. Microsoft is just making a strong suggestion on how to do it.

I wish Apple had the foresight to do this instead of the iPad Pro...hopefully more will take Ms and Dell(?)'s lead with a Studio product. Thanks for the info.

 

[nviz22]

You think they can manufacture a tablet with a decent screen, 4gb of RAM and an i3 for 100$? That's adorable.

I didn't say decent screen. 1080p doesn't necessarily equate to a decent screen. It's a resolution measurement.

 

[Michael Goff]

I didn't say decent screen. 1080p doesn't necessarily equate to a decent screen. It's a resolution measurement.

I meant in other things other than resolution. You want a screen with crap color reproduction and/or low brightness?

 

[convergent]

I meant in other things other than resolution. You want a screen with crap color reproduction and/or low brightness?

Its kind of irrelevant, because Microsoft is not in this to mass produce. They are going to make premium products, just like Apple. If they were to go after mass market, they would undermine their primary channels and ultimately make less money. Microsoft makes plenty of profit on every non-Microsoft non-Apple computer that is sold. That is their traditional cash cow, slowly being replaced by subscription licenses of things like Office.

Its kind of funny to hear someone on an Apple fan forum suggest Microsoft needs to lower their prices and go for mass market, when Apple is the king of premium prices for mediocre spec'd hardware. They are very different companies. Apple is primarily a hardware (and within hardware, primarily smartphones) company. Microsoft is primarily a software company.

 

[spinedoc77]

Just ran across this article.

Probably major speculation though

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...s://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/10/04/surface/

That would be a huge shame. No other windows tablet is as nicely engineered IMO. The closest are maybe Lenovo and Samsung, but they are not as nice. All the other oems just make crap IMO, and it took the surface devices to even get them to that level of premium crap.

Everything will continue to converge on the smartphone, and Microsoft has already been defeated on that front. I'm still confused why they continue to take steps to get back into the mobile market, but then pull back, then in, than back out, and so on. Most likely Nadella thinks they can do better just offering their products on other platforms, but they better be careful because when those platforms catch up to windows there may not be much advantage to keeping windows anymore and they will be a services company only.

Losing the surface and more importantly the mobile market just seems so short sighted, even if they aren't making as much of a profit as they thought. Look at Google who is on the other end of the spectrum, trying to get into the hardware game with the pixel phones and laptop. I'm sure they are on that bleeding edge of losing money as they climb up, but they see the future and know they will get there.