Microsoft to cut its Surface orders in half (2 millions units instead of 4 millions)

Top100EbooksRank · 11-29-2012, 11:31 AM

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/digiti...151028645.html

Quote:

Microsoft's decision to do its own hardware with the Surface tablet is not working out, according to a story at Taiwanese site DigiTimes.

It cut its order of Surface tablets for the year to two million units, down from four million, according to supply chain sources speaking with DigiTimes.

Says DigiTimes, "sources from the upstream supply chain believe [Windows 8] may not perform as well as expected in the market."

Other PC companies like Asus, Samsung, and Dell are seeing weak demand for Windows 8 tablets, says DigiTimes.

Yesterday, Asus CFO David Chang confirmed this, saying, "Demand for Windows 8 is not that good right now."

Sil_liS · 11-29-2012, 12:39 PM

I think that the problem is the fact that people prefer to try the new OS on their old hardware. Microsoft Corp has sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses in the month since the launch.

There is a very good reason for users to want to test the OS first. When I got a laptop with Vista back in 2007, and I hated it, I was surprised to find out that I couldn't downgrade because there were no drivers for that model for XP. It's always best to be cautious with new Windows OS.

injapan · 11-29-2012, 10:28 PM

Because Microsoft waited so long to get on the bandwagon they needed an absolute stunner to have any hope of getting a foot hold, and at a very competitive price.

Basically, the failed to do that. No real surprise to me

Top100EbooksRank · 11-29-2012, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

I think that the problem is the fact that people prefer to try the new OS on their old hardware. Microsoft Corp has sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses in the month since the launch.

There is a very good reason for users to want to test the OS first. When I got a laptop with Vista back in 2007, and I hated it, I was surprised to find out that I couldn't downgrade because there were no drivers for that model for XP. It's always best to be cautious with new Windows OS.

the 40 million licenses are sold to manufacturers, not the end users.

injapan · 11-29-2012, 11:18 PM

Yes. Good point

Arithonne · 11-29-2012, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

I think that the problem is the fact that people prefer to try the new OS on their old hardware.

I've never understood why people would want to do that. Especially since the results of doing that from XP on tends be things like "yay my sound card no longer works /sarcasm."

markbot · 11-29-2012, 11:22 PM

the browser on the surface RT needs serious improvement.

1. there is no forward button....after hitting back button
2. back button is very buggy...often doesn't work.
3. whenever u hit the back button it has to refind and redownload the page on the net, since it wasn't stored in a cache. this makes browsing very slow. the google search app is actually better at surfing the net for this reason...since u can go back and forward through the pages you've visited (this is very tough, if at all possible, on the surface browser). this seems so basic of a feature that i have to say the IE developers for the RT are incompetent and should be fired.
4. when u click on a link there is no way to have it open in a new tab or window. thus it becomes a chore to navigate backwards since the back button often doesn't work.

other than this, i think the surface RT is a great device. the negative reviews are completely full of BS.

HansTWN · 11-29-2012, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arithonne

I've never understood why people would want to do that. Especially since the results of doing that from XP on tends be things like "yay my sound card no longer works /sarcasm."

We have upgraded to PCs -- and everything runs much faster and smoother. And no, I didn't reformat, I upgraded in place. The only thing that bugs me is that I can't use the snap interface, since my resolution is only 1280x800. So Windows 8 apps are pretty useless for me, since I cannot multitask with them. Rebooting now just takes a few seconds --- that alone is worth the price of admissions for me.

And I didn't have to look for a single hardware driver.

HansTWN · 11-30-2012, 04:02 AM

http://techland.time.com/2012/11/29/...ipment-claims/

This makes a lot of sense --- doing the math it that story seems unlikely, MS to have even dreamed of selling 4 million Surface RT units in 2 months seems ridiculous given the extremely limited availability.

Sil_liS · 11-30-2012, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top100EbooksRank

the 40 million licenses are sold to manufacturers, not the end users.

No:

Quote:

Sales of the Windows 8 operating system, which was launched on October 26, were driven by upgrades rather than users purchasing the software on new machines, according to Reuters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arithonne

I've never understood why people would want to do that. Especially since the results of doing that from XP on tends be things like "yay my sound card no longer works /sarcasm."

If these people already have the hardware, why shouldn't they just get the OS?

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbot

the browser on the surface RT needs serious improvement.

Can you install Firefox or Chrome?

holymadness · 11-30-2012, 09:50 AM

From the same article:

Quote:

However, there is now a much higher volume of PC users worldwide than in 2001, and Windows 8′s upgrade price is far less than it has traditionally charged for new versions of Windows.

Many of the sales are to PC manufacturers, who in turn sell a large number of machines to companies, very few of which are using Windows 8 yet.

HarryT · 11-30-2012, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

Can you install Firefox or Chrome?

You could do, but are they available for Surface RT?

xendula · 11-30-2012, 04:39 PM

Like injapan said, they would have needed great hardware (not lousy screen resolution) at very competitive prices. Who would pick an RT over an iPad?
As a previous WinMo user (6.5, dubbed "Pocket PC Phone Edition"), I would also be weary that their stuff is not upgradeable, and their app store is very limited. I got burned in the past, so unless it's full fledged Windows, it will take a lot of convincing to get me back. A great screen resolution, tiny price and cool colors with the keyboard INCLUDED may have swayed me.

kevinp · 11-30-2012, 05:04 PM

I don't believe they've sold 40 million licenses to Win8. Says who? Someone from inside Microsoft? Of course they're going to say "we've sold tons, people love it, come get yours!"

You expect them to say, "Yeah, it's been a flop. Nobody wants our new OS."?

I want to hear it from the stores that are selling the computers, tablets and OS upgrades. I'd be more likely to believe them.

xendula · 11-30-2012, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinp

I don't believe they've sold 40 million licenses to Win8. Says who? Someone from inside Microsoft? Of course they're going to say "we've sold tons, people love it, come get yours!"

You expect them to say, "Yeah, it's been a flop. Nobody wants our new OS."?

I want to hear it from the stores that are selling the computers, tablets and OS upgrades. I'd be more likely to believe them.

Maybe the numbers are world-wide and not US only? That would a bit easier to believe.

11-29-2012, 11:22 PM	#7
markbot Fanatic Posts: 587 Karma: 7511929 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY Device: Amazon Kindle Touch, Microsoft Surface RT	the browser on the surface RT needs serious improvement. 1. there is no forward button....after hitting back button 2. back button is very buggy...often doesn't work. 3. whenever u hit the back button it has to refind and redownload the page on the net, since it wasn't stored in a cache. this makes browsing very slow. the google search app is actually better at surfing the net for this reason...since u can go back and forward through the pages you've visited (this is very tough, if at all possible, on the surface browser). this seems so basic of a feature that i have to say the IE developers for the RT are incompetent and should be fired. 4. when u click on a link there is no way to have it open in a new tab or window. thus it becomes a chore to navigate backwards since the back button often doesn't work. other than this, i think the surface RT is a great device. the negative reviews are completely full of BS. Last edited by markbot; 11-29-2012 at 11:29 PM.

11-30-2012, 04:39 PM	#13
xendula eBookworm Posts: 1,576 Karma: 2692000 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany / USA Device: Kindle 4B/K~ iPad3 ~ Nexus 7 ~ Kindle Paperwhite	Like injapan said, they would have needed great hardware (not lousy screen resolution) at very competitive prices. Who would pick an RT over an iPad? As a previous WinMo user (6.5, dubbed "Pocket PC Phone Edition"), I would also be weary that their stuff is not upgradeable, and their app store is very limited. I got burned in the past, so unless it's full fledged Windows, it will take a lot of convincing to get me back. A great screen resolution, tiny price and cool colors with the keyboard INCLUDED may have swayed me. __________________ They must have used multicolor LED's and finally realized it. ~ S. attempting to explain the colorful blobs on Kindle Paperwhite screens. Last edited by xendula; 11-30-2012 at 05:21 PM.

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11-29-2012, 12:39 PM	#2
Sil_liS Wizard Posts: 3,430 Karma: 23003297 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: PocketBook 903 & 360+	I think that the problem is the fact that people prefer to try the new OS on their old hardware. Microsoft Corp has sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses in the month since the launch. There is a very good reason for users to want to test the OS first. When I got a laptop with Vista back in 2007, and I hated it, I was surprised to find out that I couldn't downgrade because there were no drivers for that model for XP. It's always best to be cautious with new Windows OS.

11-29-2012, 10:28 PM	#3
injapan Groupie Posts: 180 Karma: 1025700 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Japan Device: iPod Touch and iPad 3	Because Microsoft waited so long to get on the bandwagon they needed an absolute stunner to have any hope of getting a foot hold, and at a very competitive price. Basically, the failed to do that. No real surprise to me

11-29-2012, 11:18 PM	#5
injapan Groupie Posts: 180 Karma: 1025700 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Japan Device: iPod Touch and iPad 3	Yes. Good point

11-30-2012, 04:02 AM	#9
HansTWN Wizard Posts: 4,229 Karma: 261032451 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Taiwan Device: HP Touchpad, Surface RT, DR800SG, Lumia 920, Kindle DXG, Kobo Aura HD	http://techland.time.com/2012/11/29/...ipment-claims/ This makes a lot of sense --- doing the math it that story seems unlikely, MS to have even dreamed of selling 4 million Surface RT units in 2 months seems ridiculous given the extremely limited availability.

11-30-2012, 05:04 PM	#14
kevinp Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 3394968 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orlando Device: Nook HD+; Nook Tablet; Kindle 3; Kindle for Android on HTC EVO	I don't believe they've sold 40 million licenses to Win8. Says who? Someone from inside Microsoft? Of course they're going to say "we've sold tons, people love it, come get yours!" You expect them to say, "Yeah, it's been a flop. Nobody wants our new OS."? I want to hear it from the stores that are selling the computers, tablets and OS upgrades. I'd be more likely to believe them.


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