Posted on 12/17/2015 11:33:05 AM PST by Swordmaker
December 17th, 2015
As most of you know, whenever Apple has a problem with hardware or software, it can make huge headlines. I said huge! One telling incident occurred last year, when the iOS 8.0.1 update essentially bricked any model from the iPhone 6 series. Apple had it up for maybe an hour or so before it was pulled, but that was quite enough to cause a furor, as if no other tech company had ever issued a flawed update.
More to the point, the small number of iPhones that were bricked could be fixed by running Restore. A corrected version, 8.0.2, was released the very next day, but I read fear-mongering articles about it for weeks after that. Few of those alleged journalists understood the problem or the fact that the faulty update was only available for a short time
Compare that to Windows, where Microsoft has released a number of buggy updates over the years, some of which would cause such symptoms as startup loops. You don’t see a rash of sensational headlines because Microsoft screwed up.
In any case, Microsoft has had a checkered past with hardware. Back in 2007, they allocated over one billion dollars to address what was described as “an unacceptable number of repairs” to the Xbox 360. The actual number of units impacted wasn’t mentioned, but that could be inferred from the amount set aside, since it would involve repairing or replacing the affected hardware.
Some of the failures were termed ‘Red Ring of Death” because the gaming console would display three flashing red lights on the face of the unit. While the problem was publicized to some extent, you didn’t have the tech media clamoring for Microsoft to shut down, or asserting the company was in a death spiral. I won’t even consider the cause, since it happened eight years ago. At least Microsoft made good on fixing the problem. The warranties were also extended to three years, another sign of good faith.
I’ve never heard of an Apple hardware glitch that had such a wide impact, and there have been a few. As with Microsoft, Apple offers to replace and extend the warrantees of the affected products.
This year’s problems for Microsoft involve the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4, the highly touted convertible notebooks that are supposed to rescue Microsoft’s tablet division. Now before I get to the problems, consider the fact that the modest Surface sales are flagging, from $908 million last year to $672 million in this year’s September quarter. That is not too promising. Apple still sold $4.276 billion worth of iPads in the same quarter despite falling sales.
So while the Microsoft sycophants in the media have touted the Surface as a sure iPad killer, the facts don’t bear that out, and now Microsoft is admitting to loads of bugs in these machines.
So according to Laptop magazine, a publication that offers pretty balanced coverage of desktop and mobile platforms, Microsoft has issued an apology for Surface problems, stating, “For those of you who’ve had a less-than-perfect experience, we’re sorry for any frustration this has caused.”
What sort of problems?
Well, Laptop’s test samples exhibited “laggy performance,” meaning they ran slow, and issues with booting the units; the latter reportedly occurred after a Windows 10 update. Now that’s a problem that’s roughly in line with the issues that resulted from the iOS 8.0.1 update, and a glitch with the iPad Pro, where the unit might become unresponsive after receiving a full charge. In both cases, Apple fixed the bugs in short order. The iOS 9.2 update evidently makes the iPad Pro responsive again, but I’ve not seen any problems with the review unit I received from Apple.
As for Windows 10, it has been updated frequency since the original release last summer, and the update rate has slowed over time.
Now other Surface problems include poor battery life when performing a continuous web surfing test over a Wi-Fi network. The rear camera also exhibited artifacts and pixelation on two of the three samples examined by Laptop.
This is where you have to aske some hard questions. When a manufacturer sends a review unit to the media, you assume they are striving to make good first impressions. Sure, some Apple gear will have bugs, but not near as serious as the ones that impacted the Surface. You can hardly believe that a magazine would need multiple samples to get a unit that actually worked. This doesn’t auger well for Microsoft’s efforts to become a credible manufacturer of tablets or hybrid notebook computers.
These issues are especially troubling in light of declining tablet sales, and Microsoft has yet to demonstrate that it has delivered a credible alternative to other PC convertibles, let alone the various MacBooks with which it has been compared.
I’m not suggesting Microsoft isn’t capable of making reliable hardware. I assume the Xbox problems are history, and it doesn’t appear that the Lumia smartphones, which still aren’t selling so well, are buggy. But the smartphones are built on established production lines that were tested and proven by Nokia, so unless Microsoft has cut back quality control too much in an effort to reduce costs, it shouldn’t come back to haunt them.
Releasing flawed hardware is obviously no way to demonstrate credibility, particularly in a market where there are other PC makers who are direct competitors. Indeed, I wonder what Microsoft’s executives were thinking in getting into that business. Wouldn’t it have been better to follow Intel’s lead with Ultrabook systems by releasing a set of reference designs and letting other companies sort things out? Microsoft doesn’t do well to compete with its partners.
Ping for the Windows/Microsoft Ping list.
So their only sorry for the ones on the surface? What about the buried bugs.
their = they’re
The latest Apple/Mac/iOS Pings can be found by searching Keyword "ApplePingList" on FreeRepublic's Search.
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me
Microsoft—I’m sorry you exist.
I know several people that have these devices and I haven’t heard any of them speak of these problems.
Microsoft owns up to issues with the Surface Book and Pro 4--By Devindra Hardawar -- EndGadget -- December 15, 2015The company says it's aware of the problems and is working to fix them quickly.
When reviews of the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 hit, it seemed like Microsoft would be riding a wave of positive publicity into the holiday season. We liked both devices, and while the Surface Book wasn't everyone's cup of tea, most reviews were also fairly positive. But things changed once they actually reached consumers. Some early buyers reported a variety of issues, including screen flickering, system instability and power problems. Those concerns prompted Microsoft to release several firmware and software updates within weeks (on top of a launch day fix), which helped with some issues. But they came too late to erase the idea that something was up with Microsoft's new hardware.
And one big issue remains for Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 owners: erratic power management. Some users are reporting that the devices simply don't go to sleep properly when you close their lids or put them into standby. Instead, they continue to drain power, which could be a nasty surprise if you don't bring your charger along. That's a particularly surprising issue for flagship devices in 2015 -- it's something that's mostly been fixed by laptop makers over the past decade. Making things even worse, a Surface engineering manager noted earlier this month that the issue might not be fixed until 2016. . .
Just out of curiosity - didn't they test it on a bunch of phones first? If not, why not?
Cherry picked FUD mongering.
I have told you and the other Anti-Apple Hate brigade members probably hundreds of times by now, I am not an Apple employee. How many times does it take to get through your THICK SKULLS?
They should be sorry for the endless nagging
to upgrade to 10.
I just quit using the windows box and just
use the Mac stuff and linux at home it is
so obnoxious.
Gene Sternberg is incorrect in his characterization the the iOS 8.0.1 update bricked "any model of iPhone 6" as he later states "More to the point, the small number of iPhones that were bricked could be fixed by running Restore." And it was only a small number of iPhone 6 models that were being bricked, not any, much less all. My iPhone 6, for example, was not bricked even though I installed it as soon as iOS 8.0.1 was available. It was just a few that included a specific run of parts from one parts supplier. Yes, some were bricked but easily restored to operational condition.
Apple did indeed test the update before releasing it, but their tests did not include the iPhone 6 that included the parts that were from that particular run which apparently had slightly different specs. That could only be found when the iOS 8.0.1 was actually put into the wild and encountered them. Apple immediately pulled the update until they could discover exactly WHY some iPhone 6 models were being bricked while others were not. The fix took only a day, when Apple discovered the problem. Even Sternberg is mischaracterizing the issue.
It is? What, then, do you make of this?
A Note to Our Customers from The Microsoft Surface TeamJosh_F December 11, 2015
Microsoft Forum Owner Wiki AuthorFirst, a big thanks to all of our customers for your open and candid feedback on Surface Book and Surface Pro 4. For those of you who've had a less-than-perfect experience, we're sorry for any frustration this has caused. Please know that we're reading your comments and hearing you loud and clear. Your input is incredibly valuable in helping us address your questions with timely updates and fixes. Since launch, we have aggressively pursued the most pressing feedback. We have already issued a number of updates via Windows Update and are working to issue additional updates and fixes as soon as possible to further improve the overall Surface experience. To ensure that you have received the most recent updates, we recommend you check out our support page with instructions on how to download and install the latest Surface and Windows updates. Surface Book update history can be found here and Surface Pro 4 update history can be found here.
Thanks again for your feedback. We'll continue to communicate as updates and fixes become available via moderator posts to http://answers.microsoft.com/forum/surface. If you have any additional support questions, please visit our main support page.
-The Microsoft Surface Team
You are so full of it.
They had some bugs in a new product and they apologized to their customers for them.
The reviews of the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book were very good when it was first released. They have remained so. Professional reviewers either haven't experienced the bugs or haven't been put off by them.
Meanwhile the iPad Pro that was touted as Apples breakthrough Enterprise tablet was universally hailed as a colossal failure in that arena.
I smell fear.
I have a S3 w/4G capability. I was an IT pro at one time, so quite competent in the MS world, and I must say I am not impressed with Surface for a host of mostly minor reasons.
I have 2 observations to make:
1. Most of the problems are related to the disaster known as Windows 10
2. Since I first pulled my iPad out of the box 5 years ago, I have had zero issues with it - it just works and it works all of the time (albeit with very few options for "tweaking" performance). Since I pulled my Surface out of the box 2 months ago, I have had to restart it virtually everyday to clear problems, and many functions still don't work properly.
'Nuff said. The Surface is fun, way more powerful and useable in the MS environment than iPad, but currently buggy as heck.
Very expensive tablet. I would like one but... too much for me if I have to fight bugs or as I read some are seeing flashing screens.
As mentioned in the article, Apple doesn't have "glitches" as bad as Microsoft. Yet Microsoft gets a pass. Microsoft is the Apple ad. My son-in-law had a glitch happen to his 4-year-old MacBook Pro with the graphics card, from a non-Apple supplier. Apple fixed it for free several years out of warranty, even though it wasn't their product. Hopefully Microsoft can fix the Surface bugs before they have to pull the product due to customer complaints.
Excuse me. Where?
"Now before I get to the problems, consider the fact that the modest Surface sales are flagging, from $908 million last year to $672 million in this year's September quarter. That is not too promising. Apple still sold $4.276 billion worth of iPads in the same quarter despite falling sales.
None of the new products are included in the quarter ending in September. You seem to be buying into the 1010data claims.
But even Paul Thurrott, a die-hard Microsoft and Windows enthusiast (and erstwhile, if not current, admitted paid Windows shill) doesn't believe the claims from that never-heard-of-before metric company.
So Did Surface Really Outsell iPad in October?
By Paul Thurrott -- December 8, 2015 --THURROTT - News, Reviews, and Analysis for Tech Enthusiasts
No. But it’s fun to imagine such a world, isn’t it?
According to WinBeta, which inexplicably received an early version of a report I’ve never heard of—1010data Facts for Ecom Insights, January 2014 - October 2015—written by an analyst firm I’ve never heard of, makes the following wild claim: Microsoft’s Surface allegedly outsold Apple’s iPad in October. Well, when you look at online sales anyway. And just in the U.S.
In other words, Surface did not outsell iPad in October.
Sorry, guys.
Since no one except WinBeta seems to have this mythical report, I can only go by what they quote. And it works out like so.
The data comes from “millions of online shoppers in the U.S. who allow 1010data to anonymously track their online behavior for market research purposes, including e-commerce activity.” But that means two things. This isn’t global. And it’s online sales only, so it doesn’t include retail sales. Apple has, um, a slightly bigger retail presence than Microsoft, though of course Surface (like iPad) is available in Best Buy and elsewhere too.
Apple iPad sales have fallen, year-over-year, in seven subsequent quarters, though that does not include the current quarter, of which October is a part. According to 1010data, online sales of the iPad fell by some unknown percentage month-over-month—a completely different metric—in October, while Surface sales jumped by what looks like similar amount. This makes sense as two major new Surface devices became available in October. And the new iPad Pro didn’t ship until November.
There’s some other information around the average selling prices of these devices, with Microsoft Surface hitting at $844, while iPad is only at $392. That’s a fascinating figure, given that the very cheapest iPad (a years-old iPad mini 2) costs $270, while the cheapest new iPad is $399. Are we really expected to believe that an ancient iPad mini sells so well it skews the results that far down?
Looking at the full year, Apple of course dominates, with 34 percent of all tablet sales online and in the U.S. only. But Microsoft, inexplicably, is number two, with 19 percent. You’d think they would trumpet the fact that they’re beating Amazon, Samsung, ASUS, Lenovo and other Android tablet makers. But nothing. It’s almost like this data isn’t real. Or at the least meaningful.
On that note, I don’t believe that it is. Real. Or meaningful. In fact, I don’t believe any of this.
As noted above, 1010Data's data includes October 2015, but even Thurrott obfuscates the data 1010Data has already obfuscated by claiming 1010's data goes back to January of 2014, when it clearly does not! The 1010 data only covers January 2015 - October 2015 as 1010Data's own chart below shows:
'
1010Data's data, besides being of limited scope as Paul Thurrott points out, and I give him kudos for his observations and honesty, is very carefully selected and crafted to exclude Apple's huge 4th Calendar Christmas Quarter in 2014, and to include the month of October where Microsoft introduced the Surface 4 and Surface Book, while Apple's anticipated two new regular sized iPads, and iPad Pro would not be on sale until early the excluded month of November 2015. You cannot tell me 1010Data's statisticians did not know that historically Apple products are ALWAYS depressed in the month preceding new product releases.
1010Data MAY have had data from January 2014 (see the attribution on the chart above), but their released report and charts only included carefully selected data that showed cherry picked time frame which supported their claim.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
