Microsoft has released a new Surface RT vs. iPad commercial. This time it focuses on peripherals and a new lower price. It comes days after the company's earnings revealed the tablet caused a $900 million loss.
Microsoft has been giving Apple a taste of its own medicine with its anti-iPad commercials lately. Apple famously ran its "Get a Mac" campaign from 2006 to 2009 where it claimed why Macs were superior to Windows PCs. Microsoft has turned the tables and has been on a mission to try and educate consumers on why choosing a Windows 8 or Windows RT tablet is a better choice. The commercials use Siri's voice to narrate all of the iPad's shortcomings while checking out all of the features Windows tablets have.
The latest commercial centers around the peripherals the Surface RT can use while Siri points out time and time again that she can't do that. It opens with showing off the Surface RT's built-in kickstand, which allows the tablet to stand on its own. Siri responds with, "Oh dear, I need a little help here," and soon a user gives the virtual assistant a hand and props up the iPad. It then moves on to highlight the Surface RT's USB port, to which Siri apologizes for not also having a USB port.
We're soon shown the Surface RT snapping into the Surface Touch Cover, and Siri responds with, "Oh snap, you have a real keyboard too?" Microsoft's ad mentions that the keyboard is sold separately in small print, but does not indicate that it costs users $119.99 . There are many third-party keyboards created specifically for the iPad that range in price points much lower than the one Microsoft sells for the Surface. This is Microsoft's commercial and since it's paying for it, it can do what it wants.
The commercial ends with Siri saying, "this isn't going to end well for me, is it?" with the price of the 32GB iPad shown at $599 compared to the 32GB Surface RT's price of $349.
It's pretty clear that Microsoft worked fast to get this commercial out since it just recently slashed the price of its Surface RT tablets by $150 due to weak sales to get to that $349 price. The company also revealed in its latest earnings that it was taking a $900 million charge related to Surface RT inventory adjustments.
As much as Microsoft wants to highlight how much better Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets are compated to the iPad, consumers don't seem to agree and have paid the higher price for years. It will be interesting to see if the new Surface prices help the company or if it might need to rethink its mobile strategy.
