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Microsoft’s foray into the tablet market has been met with much skepticism. But during the first weekend of Surface Pro availability, Microsoft was at least temporarily able to silence its critics when several retail stores reported no stock left of the company’s latest tablet. In a statement, Microsoft said that it will attempt to replenish its depleted supply as quickly as possible.
The Surface Pro certainly has its doubters. The device comes from Microsoft, runs Windows 8 and is viewed by some as a weak competitor to the iPad. But despite its perceived shortcomings, the device is proving popular if the first weekend of sales proves to be a reliable gauge. If Microsoft can maintain a steady supply in the retail chain in the coming months, there’s a solid chance that it’ll be even more popular.
Believe it or not, Microsoft might be on the verge of a major success with the Surface Pro tablet. Read the reasons why here.
1. Microsoft branding
It’s no secret that Windows-based tablets haven’t been all that successful. However, that might be due to the fact that a major company does not back them. The Surface Pro comes from Microsoft and runs the Windows PC operating system that just about everyone is familiar with. Having the Microsoft branding on front of a device helps immensely.
2. A lack of compelling alternatives
Looking around the non-iPad, non-Android landscape, it’s hard to find a lot appealing alternatives to the Surface Pro in the Windows market. Save for the Surface Pro, there hasn’t been a single successful tablet launched that wasn’t running iOS or Android. As Microsoft has discovered, however, there’s a surprisingly large market of people that don’t necessarily want to work with iOS and Android. That’s the market that’s helping Surface Pro succeed.
3. Windows 8’s app support
The Surface Pro’s support for just about every Windows application out there is a huge selling point. The company’s Surface RT only works with specific apps in the Windows Store. In addition to support for Windows 8 programs, the Surface Pro can accommodate Windows 7 applications. Enterprise users and consumers are happy about that.
4. The big display
The Surface Pro’s screen size is 10.6 inches, making it notably larger than the 9.7-inch iPad. For enterprise users looking to maximize employee productivity, that extra bit of screen real estate matters. For consumers, the extra screen size means Microsoft can display full 1080p content on the tablet. That’s all good stuff.
Surface Pro Tablet Showing Potential for Big Sales: 10 Reasons Why
5. Design matters in tablets
If Apple’s iPad and Google’s Nexus branding has taught the tablet market anything, it’s that design matters. Microsoft’s Surface Pro certainly capitalizes on that trend. The device’s magnesium finish, prominent display, and thin design make it a contender for best-looking slate. Customers are understandably excited by that.
6. Lots of attention
The nice thing about being Microsoft is that when it launches a product, folks typically tend to care. That’s helping the Surface Pro. Microsoft’s tablet is generating all kinds of attention on the Web, meaning consumers are likely to hear about it quite often. If they find something to like in the tablet, they’ll try to learn more. As they do that, they might just find value in the product. All of the attention being heaped on the Surface Pro is boosting sales.
7. The eventual Windows 8 adoption
Although Windows 8 isn’t exactly the most popular operating system from Microsoft in its early weeks of availability, just about everyone agrees that in the coming months and years, enterprise users will have no choice but to deploy the operating system. As a result, Surface Pro sales should rise as more companies turn to Windows 8. Eventually, Windows 8 will see sales start to soar. And when that happens, Surface Pro sales will rise, as well.
8. Voracious tablet demand
The nice thing about launching a tablet today is that just about every company that understands the average customer is making money. Apple’s iPad is wildly successful as is Amazon’s Kindle Fire line and Google’s Nexus tablets. Even products from second-rate vendors are successful at helping those companies turn a quick profit on slates. The demand for tablets today is extremely strong and Microsoft is capitalizing on this trend while it lasts.
9. Higher-end products deliver higher-end results
Microsoft was one of the few companies in the tablet market to realize that going head-to-head with Apple’s iPad isn’t such a bad thing. In fact, the most prominent company trying to do so—Samsung—has enjoyed some success in the tablet market. Customers like the idea of having a high-end product with high-end components. That’s exactly what Microsoft delivers in the Surface Pro. Sales could stay strong in the coming months as more customers find appeal in its high-end specs.
10. Retailer assistance
Microsoft has partnered with a bevy of prominent retailers to distribute its tablets. Since the Surface Pro has been a big launch, retailers will probably urge their sales consultants to push Microsoft’s device when customers enter the store. The fact is today’s retail successes are in large part due to the way in which certain products are featured in major stores, like Best Buy. Luckily for Microsoft, like Apple, it gets preferential treatment.