We can all say that tablets were hot this week! New hardware with the iPad Mini and Microsoft Surface, but off-course also the long awaited release of Windows 8. We have collected our favourite stories of the week.
The introduction of the iPad Mini: Apple’s positioning challenge in the 7-inch tablet market
Apple introduced its latest gadget this week, the iPad mini. A smaller version of the popular iPad tablet, with a screen that measures 7.9 inches diagonally. What makes this launch special? Apple’s positioning of the iPad mini, a tablet that is a size bigger than the popular 7-inch tablets but positioned to compete with this market. Apple has always avoided releasing a small-screen tablet and Tim Cook still states that the company will never introduce a 7-inch iPad.
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Microsoft’s step into the tablet era: Windows 8
Microsoft launched Windows 8 yesterday, the biggest change for it’s operating system since 1995! This exciting move can also be seen as the company’s effort to regain market share in the tablet arena. After the introduction of Microsoft Surface, Windows 8 is the next step to show that Microsoft finally recognises the popularity and impact of tablets and smartphones (Windows 8 user interface is absolutely inspired by tablets and smartphones). Furthermore Windows 8 is designed to run both on traditional PC processors as well as those used in phones and tablets.
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The tablet market, an overview
Fast Company’s Austin Carr used Apple’s and Microsoft’s latest announcements around tablets and operating systems to discuss what this could mean for today’s tech giants like Acer, HP, and Toshiba. In an excellent article he states that ‘Microsoft Is Why Samsung, Dell And Others Didn’t Invent The iPad’
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Tim Cook has something to say: Microsoft Surface is like a ‘car that flies and floats’ but doesn’t do either well
As things are heating up in the tablet market, Tim Cook isn’t afraid of sharing his view on iPad’s new competitor the Microsoft Surface tablet. During an earnings call he stated that:
“I haven’t had a chance to try a Surface, but from what we’re reading, it’s a fairly compromised and confusing product. [...] One of the toughest things you do when you make a product is to make hard tradeoffs. To decide what a product should be. I suppose you could design a car that flies and floats, but I don’t think it would do all of those things very well. I think that when people look at the iPad vs. competitive offerings, they really want an iPad and will continue to do that.”
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