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Survey: 42% of U.S. consumers want Windows tablet over Apple iPad

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 · 5:25 pm · 71 Comments

“Here’s a new survey out from Boston Consulting Group, which says 42 percent of U.S. consumers would like to buy a tablet that runs Microsoft’s operating system,” Peter Kafka reports for AllThingsD. “That makes it the most desired OS by a significant margin, trailed by Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.”

Kafka reports, “The BCG study isn’t an anomaly. Forrester conducted a poll earlier this year and got the same message, with an even starker gap between Microsoft and everyone else: ‘Only 9% of consumers considering buying a tablet actively prefer an Android tablet — compared with 16% who prefer iOS and 46% who prefer Windows.’”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: If I’d asked customers what they wanted, they would have said ‘a faster horse.’ – Henry Ford

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Fred Mertz" for the heads up.]

Categories: News

Tags: ios, iPad, iPad 2, tablet, Windows

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Comment Feed

71 Comments

1 2 Next »

Arnold Ziffel

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:26 pm · Reply

Yeah, uh huh. Sure.
- derss
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:22 pm · Reply
  
  But what if they would ask before that OS question this: do you want iPad or a tablet?
  - heathen
    
    Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 7:43 pm · Reply
    
    It can never be said enough, especially because the media loves surveys and polls… also important for all you Team fans during the upcoming political theater season.
    
    All surveys and polls are commissioned, and much like you can order a burger they way you want, these are designed from the start to deliver a expected result. They do not represent any actual collection of opinion, there is zero objectivity/accuracy-oversight, and at most they made a few lonely people at the mall feel important by talking to them for a few minutes. In reality they probably just mark whatever responses they want or fake all the data and research.
    
    Be suspicious of anyone with a clipboard interrupting your time.
  - Applesmack
    
    Thursday, October 6, 2011 - 2:43 am · Reply
    
    Yes. The poll should ask if people would prefer an iPad or other tabler.
- Only You
  
  Thursday, October 6, 2011 - 12:15 am · Reply
  
  This must be a joke or something. Have they mentioned the error margin??
quiviran

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:30 pm · Reply

If you ask most consumers what OS their cell phone or tablet uses you will get a blank stare. They don’t know and don’t care.
- FTB
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:42 pm · Reply
  
  This.
  
  i’d have to say 75% or more don’t even know which version of windows they have..
  
  if they asked the question windows vs iOS, i’m sure some don’t even know what iOS is..
  
  ask them Windows or an iPad…. numbers would be different.
  - derss
    
    Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:23 pm · Reply
    
    +1 on the use of magical “iPad” name versus relatively obscure “iOS”.
  - pridon
    
    Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 11:08 pm · Reply
    
    If they prefer windows tablets, why haven’t they been buying them? This is a totally bogus survey.
- Zeke
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:40 pm · Reply
  
  “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” – H.L. Mencken
HTML5 Gordon

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:32 pm · Reply

Yeah right. That’s why previous Windows tablets were so successful.
- WaterFalls
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:58 pm · Reply
  
  You are right… I agree.
  
  The real survey question was, “Wouldn’t you wish to have a full-blown OS running on a iDevice?”
  
  Then wishes were perceived as wants.
  - Spark
    
    Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 7:33 pm · Reply
    
    This survey has the smell of a Microsoft sponsored “research project”. The kind where they keep re-working the questions until they get a result they can market. Who doubts the difference in results had they asked, “Would you prefer an iPad or a Samsung tablet running Windows 8, Home Edition?”
NoBlindness

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:33 pm · Reply

Do consumers know what an operating system is? I always have to explain to people that Microsoft doesn’t make computers.
- opsono
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 8:36 pm · Reply
  
  Most people think Windows is Office.
  - vanfruniken
    
    Thursday, October 6, 2011 - 3:15 am · Reply
    
    Similarly, many still equate the Internet wiith Microsoft Internet Explorer
  - qka
    
    Thursday, October 6, 2011 - 4:16 pm · Reply
    
    … and the the blue “e” is the Internet.
_Bill_

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:33 pm · Reply

Umm, reality proves this wrong…
- AlfieJr
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:35 pm · Reply
  
  hey, what are you going to believe? those lying actual sales numbers, or this survery by BCG, which likely has many Windows-related companies as clients?
  
  let’s hope MS doubles-down on Windows tablets. or even better, goes all-in.
NHL

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:38 pm · Reply

Let’s see, maybe 80% (probably more) of people in the USA use a Windows computer because they’re either locked into it at work, or have never used a Mac and don’t know what they’re missing and they’re cheap and fall for the “I could buy 2 netbooks for the price of one Mac” argument.

So of course these people want a Windows tablet. They want a tablet as cool as Apple’s, but one that runs the OS that they know, and they think it will be cheaper than Apple’s.

What’s amazing is that with all these Windows users in the USA, why is the number who want a Windows tablet only 42%?
Shouldn’t the number of people who want a Windows tablet match the number of people who use Windows?
- Okay, we all know the answer to this.
- Grrrilla
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:53 pm · Reply
  
  Agreed. Well said. If American consumers as a whole were smarter, Apple would be in the majority of installed user base long before now, rather than just now breaking 10% or so.
Vasco

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:40 pm · Reply

MDN now we’re talking. Great take when winOS tablets are fake and in coma
Kent

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:41 pm · Reply

The results of this survey are clearly the effect of Tim Cook and the utter failure of Apple to deliver an iPhone in a different wrapping and color. Under Steve Jobs, Apple always put style over substance, and he was clearly mainly a “marketing guy” who was smart enough to take his cues from Internet Bloggers, and others who knew more than he did. Now Tim Cook just turns out a better product that could change the way people use cell phones and their information, and he is so dumb he thinks that the public will lap that up, regardless of the color choices and the fact that everyone knows the current screen is too small. Geez, look at Samsung. They know what they are doing. So, back to the poll. Now, because of yesterday “screw-ups” Windows will dominate forever. Way to go Tim.
- FTB
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:46 pm · Reply
  
  yes, exactly.
  
  cause when Steve left, he had the iPhone 5 all ready to go..
  when Tim took over, he just trashed all that work and decided to create the 4S.
  
  the 4S was CREATED UNDER STEVE’S COMMAND at Apple. it’s not like the 4S was ONLY started in the past few months…
  and besides, the blogs and media CREATED the iPhone 5 and everything surrounding that crap, not Apple.
  
  go back to your mom’s basement.
- Grrrilla
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:47 pm · Reply
  
  Disagree. If Tim Cook was guilty of anything yesterday it was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Everything he did was pre-scripted by Steve Jobs. The product roll-out, the timing, the naming, the features, etc. That’s all been in the pipeline for a year at least. He was just running with the mission already in progress. Not his fault he was dropped deep in enemy territory.
  
  You won’t be able to see his influence as CEO for a least another 6 months, and probably a year. So blame Steve for getting out while the getting was good, if you’re going to blame anyone for anything.
  - WaterFalls
    
    Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:04 pm · Reply
    
    Dropped into enemy territory?
    
    Oh, PLEASE… Cooks been at Apple for many years.
    And even while Steve was active as CEO the last year was commanded by the man Steve put in place.
    
    Siri – beam me up!
- Vasco
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:48 pm · Reply
  
  Way to go to you too. Give a hug to B allmerfailOS. Or do u want a silverfight* hug instead? Just a comment based on your comment report. Nothin personal
- NHL
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:48 pm · Reply
  
  “Geez, look at Samsung. They know what they are doing.”
  Actually, Samsung knows and copies what Apple is doing.
  
  And don’t be so glum, Kent. I think Apple will do just fine.
- jimg
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:52 pm · Reply
  
  Get a life Kent! The strategy for the 4S was laid out a long time ago and SJ had plenty of input. And to say the strategy is incorrect is moronic at best. The 4S is a dynamite phone and will sell well and when it does, just like we have heard nothing from Mickie Dell, we will hear nothing from the basement dwelling naysayers.
- SouthRoad
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:57 pm · Reply
  
  @Kent
  
  I think you are completely wrong. Siri will prove to be the biggest thing in a year or two. Just as we have an app store with iPhone apps, then iPad apps, we will soon see a new category of Voice Apps. Everyone is going to want to jump on the band wagon and make their Apps “Voice Enabled”. History will mark the iPhone 4S as one of Apple’s most significant achievents, and a real milestone in history of computing!
  
  When the iPad came out, many people called it just a big iPod Touch, but it was way more. This is more than a phone with voice, this is big!
- cjwillsiii
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:03 pm · Reply
  
  I’m going to go out on a limb here, folks, and suggest that Kent may have had a tongue planted in cheek when he wrote this. The tipoff: calling Steve Jobs “a marketing guy who was smart enough to take his cues from Internet Bloggers …”
- auramac
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:14 pm · Reply
  
  Shirley, you can’t be serious.
  - Indentured1
    
    Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:36 pm · Reply
    
    “It’s a large building with a lot of beds in it, but that’s not important now…” I guess a better line from the movie would be the repeated “Good luck! We’re all counting on you.” aimed at Tim…
- Microsoft Store
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 7:21 pm · Reply
  
  We love Tim Cook and his clear message Tuesday.
  
  Apple picked a winner we that will have a huge impact on the industry.
  
  We initially had some misgivings but now we know Tim Cook will do just fine.
  
  May Tim Cook enjoy a long and storied career as CEO of Apple.
- MEES
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 7:45 pm · Reply
  
  Kent, did you wake up yesterday?
  
  1. Steve Jobs has had a string of Apple product failures and the iPhone 4GS is not one of them. The problem is that everyone was hyped up on viral rumors of the iPhone 5. Tim Cook delivered the introduction of the iPhone 4GS as the best smartphone in the market and there is no question about that.
  
  2. This is an iPad discussion. The survey points out an interest of a Windows tablet but whenever Windows releases this thing, who knows.
  
  3. Windows will dominate the incompatible, second rate, more complicated, Apple-wanna-be world forever!
  - Microsoft Store
    
    Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 8:48 pm · Reply
    
    We are saddened to hear Steve Jobs has just died.
    
    Long live Tim Cook.
- Really?
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 9:01 pm · Reply
  
  Trolls usually do not use as many words… But that is almost the most ridiculous rant I have seen here. Nothing went wrong yesterday – Apple announced an update to the (already) best and best selling smartphone on the planet. The screen really isn’t too small, and new parts are far above any other hardware you can actually buy. Want more? Then wait for more, but if you think another company can put more in a phone… put down the pipe, you’ve had more than enough.
- Lardy Git
  
  Thursday, October 6, 2011 - 2:20 am · Reply
  
  You seem to have mi-spelled ‘Kent’
- ChampagneBob
  
  Thursday, October 6, 2011 - 3:07 am · Reply
  
  You must be an idiot…. don’t you think that Cook did not know that Jobs was on his death bed…. did you not notice the empty reserved chair at the meeting…. what do you think Cook meant when he said he loved Apple…. get a life troll, your too disgusting to acknowledge
Mike

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:44 pm · Reply

They want a tablet OS that doesn’t even exist. If one comes into fruition they will quickly change their mind after seeing the failure.
jimg

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:45 pm · Reply

If there were true, and I think others have already pointed out that most people have no idea what OS is running in their mobile device, it would just point out quite vividly that 42% of US consumers are mentally challenge.
- Ringgo
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:51 pm · Reply
  
  Present company excluded
8^þ

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:53 pm · Reply

I just ran a survey and discovered that 98% of the people who think the way I do agree with me…

I get so tired of silly surveys designed to show a specific result. Conclusions published without a margin of error, without analysis of methodology are meaningless. They could have asked 50 people from a list of Win phone users finding only 21 of them wanted a Windows infected tablet. Then any interpretation of the results would be much different.
WaterFalls

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 5:54 pm · Reply

I wished APPLE had more to offer us yesterday.
To be DAZZLED by a NEW product TV or PHONE whatever…

However, behind the scene iCloud, Siri, iPhone4s and iOS5 — is a damn lot of work – most of which is FREE to us USERS.

I do feel APPLE did well – just not as well as hoped.
Since there was a 3Gs it makes sense for a 4s.
- Arnold Ziffel
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:04 pm · Reply
  
  Yes, you’re right. Apple has been busy working on many important projects – the things you’ve mentioned plus FCP X, MBAs, Mac Pros, iMacs, etc.
Scott in Japan

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:00 pm · Reply

42% of idiots in the US want a win doze tablet….
- Genius
  
  Thursday, October 6, 2011 - 1:45 am · Reply
  
  No, 100% of the idiots do. That just, sadly, happens to be 42% of the population.
Jeff

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:01 pm · Reply

Funny thing is almost 80% of those who voted with their wallets voted iOS. So who cares about those that have no wallet to vote with.
BoC

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:05 pm · Reply

Humans are creatures of habit and since a majority of around 85% use Windows, I would say that only 42% means that half of the Windows users DO NOT want a Windows tablet.

Half full, half empty, take your pick.
shawnpetriw

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:05 pm · Reply

What BS. Let’s compare vapourware, a year away from release at least, with all kinds of misunderstandings of what it can ACTUALLY do, and compare that to a current SHIPPING product?

“Would you rather purchase a Toyota Corolla, or a mythical Ferrari that’s twice as fast and half the price?”

Just stupid.
Nekogami13

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:10 pm · Reply

then why are iPad sales so high?
Why are windows mobile devices sales so poor?

Wait until they see the price tag for a windows tablet, I’m betting $1200+.
Jo

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:10 pm · Reply

That’s why Microsoft is not releasing Office for iPad. It would erode that 42%.
Predrag

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:12 pm · Reply

This survey is excellent! What it does is gives Ballmer a perfect PowerPointable argument for his board to remain catatonic and let him keep steering the Titanic.

Meanwhile, people who are even vaguely awake know that:

Nobody (outside tech circles) knows what is iOS;
Everybody and their grandmother has heard of ‘Windows’ (as relating to computers).

This is just great!
Max

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 6:21 pm · Reply

i would like to try osX on a pad. Ie. Multiple applications in windows on a desktop and not a sequential series of whole tablet apps – just like my laptop, have a window with TV in the background and work in a word or spreadsheet in another. The processors to do that are out there
- drackmere
  
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 8:30 pm · Reply
  
  I think that’s called a laptop………