14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has a deal with the NFL to provide Surface tablets to coaches and bring the device on the sidelines of every game, but this is slowly becoming a very turbulent partnership for the software giant.
After NFL commentators mistakenly called the Surface tablets “iPads” and team officials were spotted smashing the devices to the ground, Microsoft is getting another hit in the NFL: Patriots coach Bill Belichick is giving up on the Surface because he no longer wants tablets around him.
He explained in an interview that these tablets often break down and he’s much more comfortable with paper anyway, so he’s now officially done with these devices. To be clear, it’s not something that’s wrong with Surface, he said, but with all tablets, as he prefers to stick with an old-school method of improving the game of his team.
“As you probably noticed, I’m done with the tablets,” Belichick explained. “They’re just too undependable for me. I’m going to stick with pictures, which several of our other coaches do, as well, because there just isn’t enough consistency in the performance of the tablets. I just can’t take it anymore.”
Surface tablets didn’t work as expected
Belichick also dropped some hints that there were moments when the Surface tablets didn’t work exactly as planned, and this undoubtedly contributed to the decision to give up on touchscreens for good.
“Sometimes something happens, and it has to be fixed. And first of all, you have to find out what the problem is,” he said. “It could be one of 15 different things.”
Microsoft has already issued a statement to explain that, while the company respects the decision of Patriots’ coach, it will continue the partnership with the NFL because other officials and teams actually appreciate the Surface tablets and want them on the sidelines for future games.
“We respect Coach Belichick’s decision, but stand behind the reliability of Surface. We continue to receive positive feedback on having Surface devices on the sidelines from coaches, players and team personnel across the league. In the instances where sideline issues are reported in NFL games, we work closely with the NFL to quickly address and resolve,” the company concluded.