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WillysJeepMan · 05-28-2014, 07:18 PM

I think with the introduction of the SP3, Microsoft gained a victory on the hardware side, but a loss on the marketing side. Microsoft took a fragmented and confusing mess known as Surface gen1 and gen2, and made it worse. There are now 2 different "Surface Pens" that are incompatible with different generation of devices and not usable on the Surface itself, a "Surface Pro Type Cover" that is not physically compatible with the Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2. Surface Pro 3 is a different size than the Surface Pro 1 or Pro 2.

It's like the tech version of the Keystone Cops.

It is pretty clear that the Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft's attempt to "reboot" the Surface brand.
"Rebooting" a line in a highly competitive market is the kiss of death. Microsoft did that very thing with the Zune (and with Windows Phone). Each generation of device offered technically superior hardware, but this repeated "wiping the slate clean" breaks any momentum built, and causes additional expense to early adopters. Yeah, I know that the general mindset is, "big deal... what you bought still works so why care about the new stuff being so radically different?"

This wiping the slate clean causes uncertainty in the accessory aftermarket. Accessory makers for the Surface are not dealing with large quantities to begin with and when Microsoft changes things up so drastically, it causes the makers to retool and redesign. In the end, they'll simply not engage in accessories... there's a small market for those accessories and most likely not be compatible with the next gen.

What Apple does "right" (but not from the perspective of spec junkies) is incrementalism. Buy a device and some accessories and except for a rare major shift (like going from 30 pin connector to lightning connector), the accessories continue to work beyond the current generation.

Do we really expect to see aftermarket "blades" (that were introduced last Fall) when 7 months later Microsoft introduces a different form factor? Or how about the 1024 sensors in the new TouchCover2 that promised the ability to use the entire Cover as a touch pad? No software has been produced to take advantage of that... and won't now that the SP3 is out with only a TypeCover option available.

These radical changes between generations is no small issue.

You don't get a second chance to make a good first impression.

05-28-2014, 07:18 PM	#91
WillysJeepMan Guru Posts: 656 Karma: 2877892 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kobo Touch, KFHD7, GTab 8.4 Pro, iPadAir 2	I think with the introduction of the SP3, Microsoft gained a victory on the hardware side, but a loss on the marketing side. Microsoft took a fragmented and confusing mess known as Surface gen1 and gen2, and made it worse. There are now 2 different "Surface Pens" that are incompatible with different generation of devices and not usable on the Surface itself, a "Surface Pro Type Cover" that is not physically compatible with the Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2. Surface Pro 3 is a different size than the Surface Pro 1 or Pro 2. It's like the tech version of the Keystone Cops. It is pretty clear that the Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft's attempt to "reboot" the Surface brand. "Rebooting" a line in a highly competitive market is the kiss of death. Microsoft did that very thing with the Zune (and with Windows Phone). Each generation of device offered technically superior hardware, but this repeated "wiping the slate clean" breaks any momentum built, and causes additional expense to early adopters. Yeah, I know that the general mindset is, "big deal... what you bought still works so why care about the new stuff being so radically different?" This wiping the slate clean causes uncertainty in the accessory aftermarket. Accessory makers for the Surface are not dealing with large quantities to begin with and when Microsoft changes things up so drastically, it causes the makers to retool and redesign. In the end, they'll simply not engage in accessories... there's a small market for those accessories and most likely not be compatible with the next gen. What Apple does "right" (but not from the perspective of spec junkies) is incrementalism. Buy a device and some accessories and except for a rare major shift (like going from 30 pin connector to lightning connector), the accessories continue to work beyond the current generation. Do we really expect to see aftermarket "blades" (that were introduced last Fall) when 7 months later Microsoft introduces a different form factor? Or how about the 1024 sensors in the new TouchCover2 that promised the ability to use the entire Cover as a touch pad? No software has been produced to take advantage of that... and won't now that the SP3 is out with only a TypeCover option available. These radical changes between generations is no small issue. You don't get a second chance to make a good first impression.