14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has spent a fortune to make its latest products more popular, and the marketing teams behind Windows 8 and Surface tablets have received millions of dollars to make sure that everyone knows about their existence.
And yet, it appears that not everyone knows what a Surface tablet actually looks like, despite this aggressive marketing strategy.
Living proof is a recent NFL game during which the commentators call the Surface an “iPad-like tool” that teams were using on the sidelines to work on tactics and analyze statistics.
Even though the difference between an iPad and a Surface tablet is pretty significant in terms of looks, there’s no doubt that NFL announcers are not up to date with the partnerships that the professional American football league has signed in the latest months.
$400 million partnership with the NFL
Microsoft and the NFL announced a $400 million (€280 million) 5-year partnership to bring Surface tablets on the sidelines and feature company branding on equipment and advertisements during matches.
Of course, both sides were thrilled to reach such a partnership, and the NFL has emphasized the important role that technology is having these days for such an exciting competition.
"From the use of instant replay to the yellow first-down line that has become an important element of the at-home television viewing experience, the NFL is committed to leveraging technology to improve our game for coaches, players and fans," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "We're thrilled to be teaming with a true innovator like Microsoft to shape the future of the NFL game experience both on-field, and in the living room."
Still losing money on the Surface
Microsoft launched the very first Surface model in October 2012 together with Windows 8, but the company is still losing money with every unit it sells.
After one year of availability, Microsoft had to come down to a $900 million (€680 million) write-down due to unsold items across the world, trying to empty inventories of tablets that didn’t find a buyer.
Since then, the company continued investments in the tablet sector and has recently introduced the Surface Pro 3, a 12-inch device that’s marketed as the right replacement for a laptop. The Pro 3 comes with several CPU configurations up to the Intel Core i7 and feature a maximum of 512 GB of storage space and 8 GB of RAM.
At the same time, the Surface Pro 3 comes with a digital pen to make drawing and handwriting easier, while the new keyboard boasts a new mode to make typing faster.
The biggest problem of the Surface Pro 3 remains the price, as the top-of-the-range model can be yours in the United States for $1,950 (€1,500).