I don't believe it, but if it is true that's amazing.
Microsoft Surface Tablet announced
- Thread starter Windu
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How can anyone even believe that?
Marty Chinn
Member
10" at $199? No way. That'll never happen.
brotkasten
Member
It would be hilarious, but no.
Damon Bennet
Member
Fits in with the story where acer asked MS to not price it at $199
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57491529-92/dont-price-surface-at-$199-pleads-acer/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57491529-92/dont-price-surface-at-$199-pleads-acer/
Curious how much of the overall cost is normally the display. The internals of the Surface RT are pretty much the same as the Nexus 7, so if they didn't mind losing a bit of money (and a 10" display isn't significantly more expensive than a 7") I guess it could be feasible.
Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit.
yn-neko hates a cat
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Isn't their pixel desities roughly the same?
The display/touchscreen, nand flash, and battery are the most expensive components. All three of those would cost more than the Nexus 7 which has half the display/battery and 1/4 the NAND.
yn-neko hates a cat
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You know... I'm already in the acceptance stage of this report
so the rationalization centers of my brain are already hard at work:MS probably has more market data than ever before about "subsidized hardware - app market" model. I wouldn't be surprised if they feel with the projected windows 8 user base, they see themselves collecting more profit than apple in a year's time. They're probably willing to fall on any sword and only escape with a flesh wound if things play out for them.
I don't see the EU gelling with this. An entire continent convinced the only way MS can remain anti-competitive is by not being competitive at all.
yn-neko hates a cat
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brotkasten
Member
You know, I have 0 interest in a Windows RT device, but I'd definitely bite for 199.
Same here.
Keyboard attachment is probably going to cost at least $100. So maybe that is where they want to make up the loss.
EDIT: This is bananas. Absolute bananas.
Well it'll be just as insane, but on the other side of the spectrum, so it'll most likely be 6000 dollars
Shogmaster
Member
Oh shiiiiii... Am I gonna lose that ban bet?
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
Same. I'm quite happy with my third gen iPad, but for this price it would be incredibly hard to pass up.
metsallica
Member
People who aren't insane are still thinking $500-600 for RT and $800-1000 for Pro, right? Haven't been keeping up with stuff post-debut.
while I find $200 unlikely - with recent news that vapormg has low yields, or that microsoft is licensing similar patents that apple wanted $40 per unit from samsung - this thing can't be too much more expensive or it's dead in the water. by the time this comes out, it'll be competing with the nexus 7, kindle fire 2, and ipad mini, all of which will likely be <$300
microsoft can keep dreaming that this will compete with an ipad at $400 or $500, but built-in office and a neat keyboard doesn't make up for an otherwise new (and empty) app ecosystem
microsoft can keep dreaming that this will compete with an ipad at $400 or $500, but built-in office and a neat keyboard doesn't make up for an otherwise new (and empty) app ecosystem
I can't see them selling it for less than 399 and believe that a base price of 499 is more likely.
They just can't undercut the OEM RT tablets by that much (or at all actually) and with the new materials, 32gb memory, and the gorilla glass display it just can't be that cheap without taking a huge loss.
I'm thinking it's 499. Another 70 the touch cover. I'd say that's competitively priced.
If the OEMs really do sell their RT and Atom devices for 399, Microsoft will go down to that price as well.
They just can't undercut the OEM RT tablets by that much (or at all actually) and with the new materials, 32gb memory, and the gorilla glass display it just can't be that cheap without taking a huge loss.
I'm thinking it's 499. Another 70 the touch cover. I'd say that's competitively priced.
If the OEMs really do sell their RT and Atom devices for 399, Microsoft will go down to that price as well.
I also have a 3rd gen iPad but I'm only looking at the pro.
Why would you be interested in an rt at this, or any price? What s it going to offer you over the iPad?
lunarworks
Member
There's no way they'd be able to turn a profit on that. More likely it would be a loss. They'd lose a fortune on that. Their shareholders, already uncertain about things, would pull out the torches and pitchforks.
Would be hilarious though. Full Kamikaze, selling it at a loss and losing your partners at the same time, while consumers would love it.
That's probably the most likely story. Pricing this at $200 would forever doom RT tablets to the budget section like future android tablets
fuck 'em. You only need to look at the Windows Phone platform to see they don't give a crap anyway.
It says the information come from the TechReady15 conference. Surely somebody else can confirm the news.
Shogmaster
Member
I can see MS selling the RT as low as $300 to spur the adoption of Win8 RT platform, but they will need to make profit on the damn thing... $200 has no room for any profit.
metsallica
Member
This week's Windows Weekly should be a blast!
If anyone was going to do it it would be Microsoft. They platform is far more important that making profit on the hardware for them.
Shogmaster
Member
Actually, I'm looking at all the tablets on Newegg, and I see several ICS 10" cap touch units for $160! And there is even one with IPS panel for $175. Granted, it's Cortex A8, but it's not impossible that with MS's muscle, they could sell a dual for A9 10" 1366x768 IPS unit for $200 with tiny bit of operating profit.
I doubt they're eating that much at $199 then. It's not like a console where they invest billions in custom chips and such.
still, $199 is crazy cheap for what the Surface is. I think everyone was expecting iPad prices.
LukasTaves
Member
No way XD
lunarworks
Member
They'll be sabotaging the platform, though. No other OEMs, aside from fly-by-night Chinese firms using the lowest quality parts, will be able to match that price level.
Why would you pay $400 for an HP, or even ASUS, when you can get the Microsoft one for $200?
You're forgetting all the engineering they put into the enclosure. That fancy "VaporMg" shell ain't gonna be cheap to make.
Shogmaster
Member
Perhaps that's why RT version is not so wow on the specs department (e.g. 1366x768). It gives OEMs room to go high end and charge more.
Maybe Microsoft picked up the Apple prinicple that if you don't cannibalize your
own sales, someone else will do it.
That's their source -- which means they seem to be making a big logic leap here and inferring something that isn't actually in that piece.
Though there's always a chance they're just using that as cover to report something they already know, but aren't allowed to say due to an NDA or some other legal concern.
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