Microsoft caught lying about tablet size in comparison to Apple's iPad

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
In an attempt to draw interest away from Apple's iPad, Microsoft has set up a tablet comparison page that falsely presents the iPad as having a smaller screen than a Windows tablet with less screen area.

Microsoft iPad comparison
Source: Microsoft


Microsoft presents a series of four tablet devices running either Windows 8 or Windows RT, but the default comparison pits a full size 9.7 inch iPad against the 10.6 inch Asus VivoTab Smart.

However, as noted by blogger Elliot Temple of Curi.us, Microsoft's comparison graphics are not to scale.

"Microsoft has drawn a 10.1 inch tablet 36% larger than a 9.7 inch tablet," Temple wrote, pointing out that the iPad actually has a screen area of 45.16 square inches, while the Asus tablet is actually 3.5 percent smaller at 43.56 square inches, "not 36% more as Microsoft depicts."

Microsoft iPad comparison
Source: Microsoft


Microsoft doesn't just imply the Windows device is bigger; the site actually states that the ASUS VivoTab Smart "has a bigger touchscreen," when in fact it does not. Microsoft also points out that the Asus product has a lower battery life rating, is slightly thicker, and weights slightly less.

One detail Microsoft doesn't mention: the current iPad has sported a Retina Display with a resolution of 2048 by 1536 for years now, while the new Asus Windows tablet has an "HD" resolution of just 1366 x768, more comparable to the original iPad from three years ago.

iPad can't run our apps that we won't sell you

Microsoft also draws attention to the fact that "the only consumer Office app the iPad can run is OneNote," an interesting claim from the only company that has the power to port Microsoft Office apps to the iPad. The company is already rumored to have done this but is apparently withholding their release until all hope is lost for Windows tablets.

Office


Microsoft also notes that the Asus tablet ships with ports for attaching HDMI and SD cards; Apple sells such dongles separately but also offers the technology to access external screens and storage wirelessly via AirPort and iCloud.

A fourth unfavorable comparison Microsoft makes is contrasting Apple's included 5GB of iCloud storage with the free 7GB it offers via SkyDrive. However, iPad users can access both Apple's iCloud and Microsoft's SkyDrive, meaning that it effectively provides 12GB of "free cloud storage" to anyone who wants to sign up for both.

The high cost of Windows baggage

Microsoft lastly compares the two models on price, depicting the iPad as $699 in comparison to the $449 Asus tablet, both at 64GB. However, Windows consumes much more storage than iOS does, so the free space Microsoft is giving it also is taking away.

On Windows tablets like the Asus, a full 8GB of storage is consumed by a "recovery partition," leaving, after Windows and other bundled software, just 33GB free, about half of the advertised storage. The list price of the Asus tablet is $499 ($420 on Amazon), and 64GB is the cheapest model available.

Apple's full size iPad also starts at $499 (with models as low as $410 on Amazon). Apple's iOS also consumes much less storage, only around 4GB. A 32GB iPad has over 28GB free, making pure price per GB comparisons misleading.

Microsoft also makes no mention of Asus' NFC feature, promoted as "tap and Explore: simple interaction with other NFC enabled devices" on the Asus website. NFC has failed to capture much attention among consumers a year after Google, Microsoft and their partners have tried to leverage it as a differentiating feature that Apple has chosen not to support.

Microsoft spent two years reworking its failed Windows Slate PC efforts in order to more effectively compete with Apple's iPad, which has been eating its way into both consumer and enterprise markets, gobbling up conventional PC sales.

The moves included a two pronged effort to target both desktop PC users with iPad-like features and a tablet-optimized version of Windows capable of running on more efficient ARM hardware like the iPad (but incapable of running conventional Windows software).

Both efforts have failed to gain traction.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 97
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    Yeah I sensed something was off about the iPad in that video.. it seemed to have the bezel of an iPad with the size of an iPad mini. You know, to make the iPad look as ugly as possible. Pretty disgusting dishonesty.
  • Reply 2 of 97
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    This article should have said 1. MS lies about screen size. 2. New iPads actually start from $329. End of article.
  • Reply 3 of 97
    bullheadbullhead Posts: 493member


    Imagine that!  Microsoft lying.  Show how desparate they are with complete and total failure windows tablets are.

  • Reply 4 of 97
    This isn't as bad as Apple photoshopping the heck out of Samsung phones to make them appear almost identical to iPhones for their lawsuits.

    @ireland, the ad is comparing 64gb models to each other. If you want to go with the Mini, it's $529.
  • Reply 5 of 97
    damn_its_hotdamn_its_hot Posts: 1,209member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    In an

    Microsoft presents a series of four tablet devices running either Windows 8 or Windows RT, but the default comparison pits a full size 9.7 inch iPad against the 10.6 inch Asus VivoTab Smart.



    However, as noted by blogger Elliot Temple of Curi.us, Microsoft's comparison graphics are not to scale...



    On Windows tablets like the Asus, a full 8GB of storage is consumed by a "recovery partition," leaving, after Windows and other bundled software, just 33GB free, about half of the advertised storage. The list price of the Asus tablet is $499 ($420 on Amazon), and 64GB is the cheapest model available.



    Apple's full size iPad also starts at $499 (with models as low as $410 on Amazon). Apple's iOS also consumes much less storage, only around 4GB. A 32GB iPad has over 28GB free, making pure price per GB comparisons misleading….

     


     


     


    I understand that puffing is a legal practice in marketing and sales but this goes way beyond that. This is deceptive and outright fraudulent in some cases. I wonder what the UK judge would have to say about this -- my bet is it would be a lot more than "its not as cool". I bet they are not running this advert in the UK.


     


    image

  • Reply 6 of 97
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Phrosty23 View Post



    This isn't as bad as Apple photoshopping the heck out of Samsung phones to make them appear almost identical to iPhones for their lawsuits.



    @ireland, the ad is comparing 64gb models to each other. If you want to go with the Mini, it's $529.


     


    Nice 1st post. Love people who register on Apple sites just to post comments like these. Justifying/defending something like this just to find an excuse to bash Apple because of a previous incident, (which is different in so many ways, because what was being compared were software elements)  because of how much you despise the company. Apparently nothing was worth registering for until this very moment, to make this very comment. I'm sure we'll see a bright future of trolling from you. 

  • Reply 7 of 97
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Wait, Microsoft lies? In other news, water is still wet.
  • Reply 8 of 97
    cobby10cobby10 Posts: 8member
    @phrosty23

    Apple wasn't making size comparisons, the images were to dispute general software characteristics of the Lawsuit. The images were on different pages, and both images were not to scale. Size or scale was not part of the lawsuit.

    This is a direct comparison in size and even stated as larger, yet it is not.
  • Reply 9 of 97
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Well known sign of inadequacy, lying about your size that is. :D
  • Reply 10 of 97
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member


    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    Microsoft spent two years reworking its failed Windows Slate PC efforts in order to more effectively compete with Apple's iPad, which has been eating its way into both consumer and enterprise markets, gobbling up conventional PC sales.


     


    Evidently two years of rework wasn't enough.  Of course, it was a lose-lose proposition for Microsoft from the very start.  I think there were only three possible scenarios for Surface vs. iPad:


     


    - The "success" scenario: Surface becomes a raging success equalling or surpassing iPad sales.  Surface hardware revenues soar beyond whatever MS can eke out of Xbox.  But, because Surface's Windows RT / Pro apps and OS updates are much cheaper than legacy Windows + Office software licenses and updates, the company's overall revenue drops.  Apple still makes money on iPad, selling to consumers and enterprise, still hurting Microsoft's profitability.  But it's a two-horse race: Surface and iPad.  MS actively iterates Surface and releases a Surface mini to broaden the line.


     


    - The "don't care" scenario: Surface sales are moderate but still "successful."  Surface hardware revenue is not stellar, but gives the business some sustainability.  And again, because Surface's Windows RT / Pro apps and OS updates are much cheaper than legacy Windows + Office software licenses and updates, the company's software revenue drops.  It's break-even.  MS could flip a coin: keeping Surface or canceling it makes little or no difference to their overall revenue.  They decide to keep marketing it because it makes them look relevant and modern.


     


    - The "nightmare" scenario: Surface sales are dismal.  iPad continues to dominate in the consumer and corporate pad computing markets, disrupting the legacy PC markets that Microsoft once thought they had locked up in perpetuity.  The Surface division operates at a loss, and Microsoft's overall revenues decline due to the iPad onslaught.  They decide to continue marketing Surface because they think it makes them look relevant and modern, even though it costs them plenty of money and in reality makes them look foolish and out of touch.  They hype Xbox more, because it is their only successful post-PC device.


     


    I think we all know which scenario is now playing out.


     


     





    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    Both efforts have failed to gain traction.


     



    The market has spoken.  Windows 8 and Surface have both been Zuned.

  • Reply 11 of 97
    agramonteagramonte Posts: 345member
    "One detail Microsoft doesn't mention: the current iPad has sported a Retina Display with a resolution of 2048 by 1536 for years now, while the new Asus Windows tablet has an "HD" resolution of just 1366 x768, more comparable to the original iPad from three years ago"

    that is also misleading... you do not get 2048X1536 real estate on an ipad... you do get the full work environment of 1366X768 using windows 8

    you cant do a direct resolution comparison - the OS is using the resolution in different ways.
  • Reply 12 of 97
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    This is deliberate lying and false advertising. Owners who have been duped and misled should sue.

  • Reply 13 of 97
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    As for the one post geniuses that are posting in this thread.


     


    Samsung's own lawyers couldn't even tell the difference between a real life iPad and real life Galaxy Tab. Apple doesn't need to intentionally manipulate any images in order to prove it's point.


     


    Epic fail: Samsung’s own lawyers can’t tell a Galaxy Tab 10.1 from an iPad

    http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-has-terrible-lawyers/#ixzz2U9RttU1h 

     

  • Reply 14 of 97
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member


    Give it a couple hours then we'll hear the 'real' truth. It was one guy in the art department who took it upon himself to edit the photos without approval from his manager. The artist has been fired and the page will be updated with more accurate images as soon as possible. Microsoft wants to reiterate that we sincerely regret and apologize for any misinformation that was accidentally displayed on our web page. We strive to always present our products honestly and in fair comparison to our competitor's products no matter how inferior they happen to be.

  • Reply 15 of 97


    Um the only one lying is the one who wrote this article.


    They cropped the picture to make the Asus look bigger


    and then complain about it.


     


    The actual video is real to size :


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86JMcy5OqZA


     


    You're right the actual usable space is smaller with Windows full 8 on it and a backup partition - which ipad doesn't have.


    So what they did was just compare hardware used - regardless of space used features.

  • Reply 16 of 97
    pedromartinspedromartins Posts: 1,333member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jabberwolf View Post


    <brain fart>...</brain fart>



     


    I'm staggered at the amount of fake user accounts this site has, and nobody does anything. Accounts with more than six years with the first post this week, this troll right here... The f*ck tallest?

  • Reply 17 of 97
    joshuarayerjoshuarayer Posts: 151member



    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Phrosty23 View Post



    This isn't as bad as Apple photoshopping the heck out of Samsung phones to make them appear almost identical to iPhones for their lawsuits.



    @ireland, the ad is comparing 64gb models to each other. If you want to go with the Mini, it's $529.


     


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post


     


    Nice 1st post. Love people who register on Apple sites just to post comments like these. Justifying/defending something like this just to find an excuse to bash Apple because of a previous incident, (which is different in so many ways, because what was being compared were software elements)  because of how much you despise the company. Apparently nothing was worth registering for until this very moment, to make this very comment. I'm sure we'll see a bright future of trolling from you. 



     


    I dont see him anywhere defending Microsoft. He was just pointing out the fact that in legal documents, Apple change the sizes on Samsung phones to match the size of the iPhone.

  • Reply 18 of 97
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    I'm staggered at the amount of fake user accounts this site has, and nobody does anything. Accounts with more than six years with the first post this week, this troll right here... The f*ck tallest?

    C'mon. TS doesn't have time to block all the trolls. If he did, he wouldn't have time to parse and multi quote! I'm kidding. Don't ban me! :)
  • Reply 19 of 97
    curtis hannahcurtis hannah Posts: 1,833member
    I know noticed there comparisons fishy, obviously they were, they are pointing out very wrong in truthful points!
  • Reply 20 of 97
    mvigodmvigod Posts: 172member
    "Microsoft also draws attention to the fact that "the only consumer Office app the iPad can run is OneNote," an interesting claim from the only company that has the power to port Microsoft Office apps to the iPad. The company is already rumored to have done this but is apparently withholding their release until all hope is lost for Windows tablets. "

    I'd say the time has now come. All hope is LOST for windows tablets. Those bricks were DOA and nothing is changing that. Microsoft is deprecated
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