During what is guaranteed to be one of the most-watched NFL games of the year, the Divisional Playoffs between AFC powerhouses Denver Broncos and New England Patriots featuring future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 tablets failed spectacularly.
Microsoft pays the NFL $400 million to use fake iPads instead of the real thing to review plays on the sidelines. Microsoft has to feign success by paying entities like the NFL hundreds of millions just to use (or try to use) their wannabe products because the fact is that a single quarter of iPad Pro sales exceed the total of all Microsoft Surface tablets ever sold. The New England Patriots wish the NFL didn’t take the cash over real iPads since they were without working tablets for most of the first half of play.
With numerous mentions by the game’s announcers, including Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, including the oh-so-appropriate use of the word “frustrating” in tandem with “Microsoft,” Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 tablets failed utterly and spectacularly. Par for the Microsoft course. As with all Microsoft products, it was, of course, only a matter of time.
Since this whole deal is about perception, Microsoft just flushed another $400 million down the drain unless they intended to implicitly promote Apple’s iPad during what will likely be the NFL’s most-watched game of the season this side of the Super Bowl.
Check out the game video and the commentary on the failure of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4:
Microsoft #surface tablet #fail for the Patriots #afcchampionship #patriots #patriotsvsbroncos #microsoft #nfl pic.twitter.com/A9lXSL038x
— JGIII (@JLGush) January 24, 2016
Awkward. Microsoft pours millions into the NFL. Surface tablets fail during championship game. Cameras zoom in to show angry sideline.
— Yuna Park (@yunapark) January 24, 2016
https://twitter.com/tayloramiles/status/691365933462360066
How many NFL games have mentioned the Microsoft Surface tablets not working? Worst product placement fail.
— ⓀⒺⓋⒾⓃ (@klgood1) January 24, 2016
More nationally televised commentary on the abject failure of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4:
MacDailyNews Take: As always, Microsoft is a clown car of pure delight!
The NFL and the New England Patriots just came to a sad realization:
If it’s not an iPad, it’s not an iPad.
SEE ALSO:
A single quarter of iPad Pro sales will exceed the total of all Microsoft Surface tablets ever sold – November 24, 2015
Microsoft pays $400 million for product placement, then NFL announcer calls Surface tablet ‘iPad-like’ on air – September 8, 2014
Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone says his Microsoft Surface tablet ‘didn’t work’ for portion of game – August 4, 2014
How Apple’s iPad is revolutionizing NFL playbooks for players and coaches – July 19, 2012
Miami Dolphins latest to replace huge paper playbooks with Apple iPads – June 24, 2012
Cincinnati Bengals go digital with iPad playbooks, join dozen other NFL teams – June 15, 2012
Denver Broncos NFL team transfers traditional playbooks to Apple iPads – April 23, 2012
NFL’s Tampa Bay Bucs give every player an Apple iPad 2 to hold playbook, video – August 25, 2011
NFL teams considering replacing playbooks with Apple iPads – February 4, 2011