Microsoft Beats Apple In Tablet Satisfaction As Features, Design Shine

By Steven Lynch
published

A new J.D. Power study found that, among the 2,238 people surveyed, Microsoft Surface owners are happier overall with their device than were people who own an iPad. The U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study was conducted between October and December 2016 and measured customer satisfaction of tablet owners who have owned their devices for less than a year. The five factors measured, listed in order of importance, are as follows:

Performance (28%) Ease of operation (22%) Features (22%) Styling and design (17%) Cost (11%)

The study found that Microsoft Surface owners are more likely to be early adopters of technology. Not only that, the study went on to state that early tech adopters tend to have higher overall satisfaction. Microsoft Surface owners were also more likely to consider productivity features as important, having the highest incidence of saying “very important” for jobs related to productivity.

Key findings of the 2017 study:

Satisfaction is risingDriving the selection processSize mattersData plans increase satisfaction

Overall customer satisfaction with tablet devices is up compared to just six months ago. Past experience and lower prices were the most commonly cited reasons for tablet selection. Screen size seems to play a role in customer satisfaction as well, with larger screen sizes (10" and above) ranking higher than tablets with smaller screen sizes (8" and under). The study also found that overall satisfaction is higher among customers with a data plan versus those who don't have one.

Although it may not be surprising that Microsoft's Surface tablet scored high for its productivity features, design quality, and functionality, it is a bit surprising that the Surface also had the highest score for the attractiveness of its tablet design, as well.

What does all of this mean? According to the results of this survey, Microsoft Surface owners are younger, early adopters who value productivity features, accessories, browsing the internet, and using email, moreso than their iPad owning counterparts.

Steven Lynch
11 Comments Comment from the forums
  • therealduckofdeath
    Seems like convergence is what we all want after all.
    Sent from my Surface 3
    Reply
  • therealduckofdeath
    Though, there is one thing I was reminded of in these update times, something embarrassing Microsoft really need to fix. Installing Microsoft's own operating system on their own hardware is a pain in the ash.
    Please, integrate touch support in the whole install process! That shouldn't be so hard to accomplish, there's after all touch support in the firmware/BIOS. Also, why keep the Surface drivers in a separate download on a page that looks like it was set up in the early 90's? It's your frigging operating system installer, Microsoft! \o/
    Reply
  • canadianvice
    I like the Surface Pro line, but it needs some serious polish. I say this from a P3, so maybe it's gotten better since then, but the thing hangs like nobody's business with a minimum of sw installed, and the hardware leaves a lot to be desired, such as the keyboard disconnecting.

    It's certainly a unit I'd look at buying again if I went back in time, but I really think it needs to be more fleshed out for the price they ask.

    Edit: Lots of downvotes, no responses. How about we stop with the fanboying and say why I'm wrong?

    I've had surfaces since the SP2, I work around them regularly, and these are my observations. It's a nice unit, but it needs polish. Lots of nagging glitches and oversights on them.
    Reply
  • ThatTechieGuy
    Just don't get Microsoft devices for enterprise the support is awful. Have to ship it off because the local Microsoft stores do not support enterprise devices. May take up to a few months for a repair. Overall unsatisfied
    Reply
  • Tech_TTT
    I disagree . IOS tablets are more fun . for one reason , APPS made for Ipad will work fast enough within the limitations of the hardware .

    Windows APPS are coded to work on faster CPU and faster GPU , for example , you will never find a cool 3D game to play on any Windows Tablet. While all 3D games are enjoyable on IPAD ...

    If you want the tablet for emails , browsing and MS office , then maybe the windows tablet is better.

    but for overall experience ? big no . IPAD is a Winner and even its touch digital pen is waaaay better than any MS digital pen.

    watch this :

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_jByGG77K8
    Reply
  • littleleo
    Well I'm not surprised MS tablet users tend to be very vocal about their pro MS tablet views. The problem I have is out of 100 people that ask about tablets only about 2-5 will take a quote on a MS Tablet. Most want anything but a MS tablet.

    I'm not surprised the numbers have improved since Windows 10 is more popular than Windows 8 & 8.1 by 100 fold. I couldn't give away a MS tablet on the Windows 8 O/S unless it had a HUGE MASSIVE rebate. Still majority buy the Apples, then the other brands like Asus, Samsung, even Acer, MS is still the least asked for tablet brand and the hardest to sell. Apples just sell themselves. With MS Tablets you really have to talk about the specs of the unit and really push them.

    Apples are just easier to use and less complex for the older segment and still a status for the very young segment. I was talking with a teacher from a local elementary school and I was surprised when he told me most of the students had iPhones, I asked him if Android models like the Samsung's were also popular. He said those are usually pass downs from the parents and the kids with them are not considered cool. Man that hurts, lol.
    Reply
  • sizzling
    Love my Surface 3 4gb RAM, had iPads and the wife uses the latest iPad Mini. The Surface 3's broad functionality makes the iPad look very limited and a bit toy like to me. I would not even consider an iPad these days.
    Reply
  • CKKwan
    If you wish to get serious work done, use Laptop / PC.

    If you wish to relax and enjoy, use tablet.

    MS trying to merge all these, and makes the PC difficult to use, tablet too power hungry to be useful.
    Reply
  • cryoburner
    It makes sense that Surface owners would report greater satisfaction, since a larger portion of them use their device for its productivity features. A typical iPad owner, on the other hand, will be more interested in just using their device for media consumption. They might play some games on it, or check the news, or look at pictures of cats, but those are things they could be doing on their smartphone, which ultimately, an iPad is not much different from.

    A Surface, on the other hand, does more things that a smartphone can't do well. It's more a laptop in a tablet format, whereas the iPad is more a smartphone in tablet form. Where one is a more portable version of a device with similar functionality, the other is bulkier than the device it functions most like. If someone's carrying around a smartphone, there simply isn't much need to bring an iPad with them as well.
    Reply
  • JackNaylorPE
    The article headline is misleading and the linked article has very little actual data. Of course. I remember the old TV commercials where, according to JD Power, Suburu made the best cars in the world.
    Reply