Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface RT Tablets Gain Market Share
A new report says that Windows-based tablets from Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) such as Surface Pro and Surface RT have made significant market share gains in the last year, as has Android-based tablets. Marketshare leader, iPad, has seen its huge lead diminish slightly.
Widely different reports have painted Microsoft Surface Pro and Surface RT Windows tablets as either dismal market failures or Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) greatest new product in years. Weighing in on the side of slowly building momentum behind Microsoft's first tablet device based on the Windows 8 operating system, market research organization Strategy Analytics reported Windows share of tablet operating systems has reached 7.4 percent globally year over year for Q1, up from 0 percent last year. Here are the details.
Apple still rules overall with 48.2 percent marketshare, down from 63.1 percent a year ago. And Android also saw significant growth to 43.4 percent market share in Q1 this year up from 34.2 — the biggest market share growth of all the operating systems.
Windows tablet results could have been better, according to King's report. He said that Microsoft's limited distribution, a shortage of top tier apps and confusion in the market has held back shipments of Windows tablets such as Surface Pro and Surface RT.
These market share numbers only reflect branded tablets. When white-box tablets are added into the mix, Android market share increases to 52 percent, according to Peter King, director of tablets at Strategy Analytics.
"Demand for tablets among consumer, business and education users remains strong," Strategy Analytics said in a statement.
And that means MSPs will be seeing more such devices on their customers' networks, and seeing more of a need for proper managment of these devices whether they are part of a bring-your-own-device program (BYOD) or a corporate-owned, personally-enabled (COPE) program.
I’ll believe it when I see it
I’ll believe it when I see it in a quarterly report under Microsoft letterhead. Too much smoke and mirrors.
All we’ve heard from Microsoft is their marketing fluff. No sales data.
RT probably fills warehouses with unsold units stacked to the ceiling.
Surface Pro probably has severe manufacturing problems and can’t yield enough products to stock shelves.
In the mean time the newsmen go from stop to stop trying to guess what is happening.
The clue is: “When have you seen anyone carrying one of these?” If they were out there you would see them. “How many IPADs do you see every day?” Go figure. There must be a lot of unsold hardware in the system somewhere! Most of the guesses are based on material purchase by Microsoft.
If you used the same logic the DeLorean car was a runaway success.
Do a user survey and get solid numbers!
El Tigre: You raise some good
El Tigre: You raise some good points. I remember when iPhones and iPads each first launch. Attend an MSP conference, and you’d see entrepreneurs carrying those devices everywhere. I have seen a smattering of Surface Pro tablets at MSP events, including a CharTec event a few weeks back. Nothing overwhelming so far but I do think Surface Pro will gain critical mass over time…
-jp
All I can say is, my surface
All I can say is, my surface pro is amazing.
Two questions:
1. Why?
2. Who
Two questions:
1. Why?
2. Who are you?
-jp
I think years to come
I think years to come Microsoft tablets will gain markert share tablet markets. as long as they keep on trying and one of the good years they will able to press the right button and those who like to critises for the sake of critistsing, will be doomed for ever.
Levoss: In addition to
Levoss: In addition to pressing the “right” button, Microsoft needs to restore the “Start” button on Windows 8…
-jp
I really like my Surface RT.
I really like my Surface RT. Fairly intuitive and integrates well with my Nokia Lumia 920 (Windows Phone 8) and Windows 7 desktop. The RT is primarily for personal use — email, internet, photos, etc. Very nicely made and easy to pack for travel.
If Microsoft was serious
If Microsoft was serious about selling their tablets, they could increase their market by switching over to the Android operating system. With Windows 8 they have all those old legacy apps which they should just leave for legacy desktops. The world is moving to mobile and open source, and Grandpa needs to get with the program. Think I’m kidding, look at the Android numbers…