The marketing of the Surface Pro line has been shaky since the launch of the original Microsoft tablet. I don’t feel like Microsoft has done a very good job framing it–first and foremost–as a fully functional Windows PC. Combine that with the fact that the Surface Pro 3 makes all of the previous Surface Pro accessories obsolete, and it’s easy to understand why business customers would be hesitant about investing heavily in the Surface Pro line.
Microsoft sought to assuage any concerns, and instill confidence in the Surface Pro tablets among business customers by asserting its commitment to the product, and promising not to completely revamp the accessories again any time soon. I wrote a blog post about the Microsoft news:
There’s been speculation off and on since Microsoft first launched the Surface tablet line about what Microsoft’s tablet strategy is, and whether or not it plans to stand behind the Surface Pro hardware for the long haul. Microsoft laid those concerns to rest with a blog post outlining the value of the Surface Pro 3 for business customers, and clearly demonstrating its commitment to the tablet line.
The post on the Microsoft Surface Blog is an important one. The Surface Pro line—and the Surface Pro 3 specifically—is great for business users, but businesses are reluctant to invest in hardware or software without some degree of confidence that it won’t be obsolete and unsupported a year from now.
Microsoft already counts BMW, Coca Cola, Louis Vuitton, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the Lotus F1 Racing Team, and more among its early Surface Pro 3 customers. In order to build on and continue that momentum, though, Microsoft is taking some steps to instill confidence among business customers.
First, Microsoft explains that it will give businesses the support they need to effectively manage and maintain Surface Pro 3 tablets. All firmware and drivers are available for IT departments to create a standard corporate image, and Microsoft has created a webpage that outlines the details of every Windows update and firmware update to shed light on what each update addresses. Microsoft also revealed a new support offering called Microsoft Complete for Business that includes a 3-year extended warranty, and accidental damage protection for Surface Pro 3 tablets.
Read the full article at Forbes: Surface Pro 3 Is Built For Business And It’s Here To Stay.
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