Apple has a problem. Well, actually it has several but today we have to talk about one in particular, the iPad. Despite the company's efforts to offer a somewhat more affordable model (the recently launched new iPad) and to take a twist by targeting a more professional user sector with the iPad Pro range, the bitten apple tablet sells less and lesss. It is true that this reduction in sales that has been dragging on for a few years is not exclusive to Apple, but to a segment that has not yet convinced itself as a substitute for the computer and whose sales have fallen quarter after quarter.
However, this should not be an excuse for Apple, and even less now because for the first time its arch enemy Microsoft has snatched the top spot from the iPad for design, productivity, and accessory use, according to a recent study by JDPower.
Apple's iPad is no longer "among the best," just "better than most"
I have no doubt that the iPad, as a tablet itself, is possibly the best product on the market today. However, it is not just that product of the post-pc era that Steve Jobs sold us. The iPad sins in lack of productivity, and the problem is not with the device, of incredible quality and power and very durable, but with the operating system.
Thus, the iPad has been falling in sales for several years in a row and now, in addition, they begin to take away the prestige that he enjoys because Microsoft's Surface takes the top spot for overall consumer satisfaction, six points ahead of Apple's second-place iPad, according to the 2017 Tablet Satisfaction Study conducted by JD Power.
This fact is particularly interesting, insofar as This is the first victory that Microsoft has won in the six years that JD Power has published this Study Satisfaction Tablet. Thus, the Redmond company has achieved 855 satisfaction points out of a possible total of a thousand points.
The JD Power study was conducted in the United States, between October and December 2016, on 2.238 users who have owned tablets for less than a year, and measures the satisfaction of tablet users by paying attention to five specific areas: performance (28%); ease of use (22 percent); characteristics (22 percent); style and design (17 percent); and price (11 percent).
Thus, Microsoft's Surface, with 855 points, is "among the best" tablets on the market, while Apple, with 849 points, is "better than most".
According to JD Power, Microsoft's victory "is due in large part to its high rankings on features and style and design factors".
Microsoft scored higher in categories related to:
- The variety of pre-installed applications.
- Internet connectivity.
- The availability of compatible accessories.
- The variety of input / output ports (microSD card slot, USB 3.0 and 3,5mm headphone jack).
- The amount of internal storage available.
Versatility and productivity, two concepts that Apple should take note of now
"The Microsoft Surface platform has expanded what tablets can do and sets the bar for customer satisfaction," said Jeff Conklin, vice president of JD Power. “These tablet devices are as capable as many laptops, but they can still function as standard tablets. This versatility is critical to your appeal and success.«.
The Surface also beat the iPad in things like size, quality of materials, and attractiveness of design.
According to the study, 51% of Microsoft Surface Pro users are younger than competing users and "more likely to view productivity features as important." In fact, Microsoft customers tend to rate productivity-related tasks as "very important."
