Apple CEO Likens Microsoft Surface to a Flying Car
Despite every single Surface variant selling out during its pre-order stages in several regions including the U.S. and UK, Apple CEO Tim Cook has labelled the device as a "compromised" and "confusing product".
During Apple's third quarter earnings call, Cook admitted that hasn't "played with" the Windows 8-powered Surface tablet yet. However, based on what he's heard about it, he's not too keen on the device.
"I haven't personally played with the Surface. But from what I've read it is a fairly compromised, confused device," he said.
Apple has made "hard trade-offs" in terms of designing products such as the iPad in order to ensure the user experience is "incredible," Cook added, implying Microsoft hasn't carried that out with its own tablet.
"I suppose you could design a car that flies and floats, but I don't think it would do those things very well," he continued.
Despite Cook's dissatisfaction with Surface, it's said that Apple is purportedly preparing a slimmer and lighter version of the iPad 4 for a launch early next year due to the threat Microsoft's device poses.
Microsoft launched Surface worldwide on Friday, alongside its operating system Windows 8.
Thanks Tim!
"I suppose you could design a car that flies and floats, but I don't think it would do those things very well."
I wonder if Tim said the same thing to Steve Jobs right before Steve took the stage to announce the very first iPhone that "(It) Is an iPod, a phone, and an internet browser!" I remember he kept saying that over and over again.. :P
"I suppose you could design a car that flies and floats, but I don't think it would do those things very well."
I wonder if Tim said the same thing to Steve Jobs right before Steve took the stage to announce the very first iPhone that "(It) Is an iPod, a phone, and an internet browser!" I remember he kept saying that over and over again.. :P
Thanks Tim!
And what Kami3k says!
It's a very poor attempt and combining 2 things that really didn't need to be combined at all: Making a desktop computer act like a very poor table. Making a tablet act like a very poor desktop.
No, Tim Cook didn't use one.
Also, there seems to be this habit now of Apple shooting the middle finger at everyone. I'm not sure if this will go well with geeks. They used to phrase everything in a positive voice. It's getting to where Steve Ballmer is talking more like Jobs than Cook. Jobs would have said something along the lines of "I understand where they are coming from. However, we took the time and effort to make sure we have something that the user would enjoy".
Really? Has he never heard of one of these?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaplane
Carries people and cargo like a car. Check.
Floats like a boat. Check.
Flies like a plane. Check.
Does all of these things well? Check.
-IvanTO
Silly Apple. They tried suing Samsung into the ground but only brought attention to Samsungs products.
Apple would be well served to STFU about the competition especially if the competition beats the hell out of Apple's product. i.e. GS3, Surface. The Surface pro will be highly adopted by business as it is more than a toy. However it will also work well as a toy. Apple sounds worried and they should be.
I've been saying it ever since they launched the surprise iPad refresh. Apple finally figured out they can't dictate market demand, and that people really do want what they say they want.
The cheap, 7" tablets have really eaten into the tablet market share. Apple is coming to regret Jobs' comments when he said they'd have to ship sandpaper with a smaller tablet so people could file down their fingers to use the smaller screens (how he figured people used his 3.5" phone screen is beyond me if he thinks 7" is too small).
Apple refused to service a market segment, and now they're late to the game with an overpriced product. Surface is the first really innovative tablet since the iPad, so they time a new iPad launch with it to try to steal some of Microsoft's thunder.
It's pretty obvious to me that Apple is starting to take the competition seriously.