Microsoft (NASDAQ:
MSFT
) is throwing its full support behind the next version of Surface
by sending a large number of units to retail. According to
DigiTimes
, Microsoft will have an initial shipment volume of one million
units when Surface Windows 8 Pro ships next week. In the report,
DigiTimes cites "sources from the upstream supply chain."
Unlike the standard, Windows RT version of Surface, the new
Pro version is aimed at enterprise users looking for a full PC
replacement. With a third-generation Core i5 processor from Intel
(NASDAQ:
INTC
), as well as 4GB of RAM and Intel HD Graphics 4000, Surface Pro
is one of the most powerful tablets scheduled for release this
year.
The $899 starting price might be steep compared to the cost of
a cheap tablet, but the features -- which are on par with touch
screen laptops selling for roughly the same price -- are vastly
superior.
Compared to the 128GB iPad 4 -- the exact same iPad released
last fall but with twice the memory -- Surface Pro is practically
a steal. The base model ships with half the memory, but with the
included microSDXC card slot, users can instantly double their
hard drive space. To double an iPad's memory, users must buy an
entirely new device.
The 128GB iPad 4 retails for $799 -- $100 more than the 64GB,
Wi-Fi-only model. According to
CNET
, that device is costing Apple $35.20 more to manufacture, yet
the company is charging $100 more to consumers. This is in
addition to the extra fees consumers spend for the 32GB and 64GB
models versus the 16GB base model.
Surface Pro also includes a full-size USB 3.0 port, which
opens the device to a world of attachments that are not
compatible with any of the iOS devices -- including the iPad.
With Surface, consumers are getting a full-fledged computer
experience; with the iPad, they get something closer to a large
iPhone.
That's not to say that the iPad no longer has a place in the
market. However, if Apple (NASDAQ:
AAPL
) thinks it can charge a PC price for an item that is not a PC,
it might want to upgrade the iPad well beyond the fourth
generation.
Follow me
@LouisBedigianBZ
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