Microsoft To Release Affordable Surface Tablets to Compete Against Entry-Level Apple iPads

• Microsoft is taking aim at Apple with its upcoming lineup of Surface Tablets.
• Microsoft is expected to release its new lineup of devices in the second half of 2018.
• The current generation devices are significantly more expensive than iPads, and none of the Surface devices has managed to sell in significant amounts to make an impact on the tablet market.

Surface Tablets may finally become cheaper with Microsoft expected to compete against the entry-level Apple iPads. The next tablet from the tech giant is expected to release in the second half of this year and will offer a complete Windows 10 experience on the go.

With Microsoft tablets struggling to make a dent in the iPad dominated tablet market, Microsoft may finally have to cut corners in some of the Surface devices to make them more affordable. According to reports, Microsoft may be willing to sacrifice battery life on the upcoming devices by up to four hours to enable its new lineup of devices to be slimmer and more portable. The new devices are also set to include smaller storage options and USB-C connectivity.

The Surface lineup of devices has seen multiple changes since the first Surface came out in 2012. The initial Surface tablets were based on an OS similar to Window Phone instead of offering the full desktop experience. Over time, Microsoft offered better hardware each year and had turned them into premium computing devices. The lineup of tablets is neither affordable or offer enough value to consumers to consider them over premium Ultrabook options from other Windows PC manufacturers.

Microsoft uses very expensive hardware that is on par with many desktop PCs, but they lack many intuitive features that iPads can offer. The App Store is another selling point for iPads as all available apps are designed for touchscreen usage. Despite more Windows applications being available on PC, very few are designed for tablet usage.

It has been reported that Microsoft is trying to focus on education as a selling point for its tablets. Features that can enhance learning experiences could help Microsoft see more Surface tablets being used in classrooms.

Apple has managed to generate almost four times the revenue through iPad sales versus the Surface lineup. iPad sales generated $20 billion in revenue in the past four business quarters, while Microsoft managed to generate $4.4 billion in the same period.