Steve Ballmer Explains What Consumers Really Want

Even though 100 million iPads sold has its weight in a discussion about what consumers really want, Microsoft and Amazon have different opinions.

Amazon says the Kindle Fire is the best selling product, although forgets to disclose its sales numbers. But let’s see some quick facts with the help of Rene Ritchie of iMore: the device is available in seven countries (iPad: 90 countries) and it’s book store is limited to books in nine languages (iPad: 40 languages).

On the other hand Microsoft has its own opinion about the iPad. And more important: it does know what consumers really want. They want the Microsoft Surface tablet. At least according to Steve Ballmer, who was recently interviewed by CNBC.

“I don’t think anybody has done a product that is the product that I see customers wanting,” Ballmer told CNBC during a recent interview. “You can go through the products from all those guys … and none of them has a product that you can really use. Not Apple. Not Google. Not Amazon. Nobody has a product that lets you work and play that can be your tablet and your PC. Not at any price point.

And the answer: Microsoft Surface, obviously.

“This is a first-class tablet that people can enjoy and appreciate,” Ballmer continued. “It’s a PC; it’s a tablet. It’s for play; it’s for work. It’s a got a great price. That product doesn’t exist today.”

I was wondering if you would want to buy a “PC-tablet”. It’s a hard product to sell, maybe that’s the reason Microsoft is spending $1.5 billion on stupid ads (my opinion) and he appears on CNBC to tell you what you want to buy next.

From Tim Cook’s perspective a “PC-tablet” is obviously a no-no. He said that during this year’s AllThingsD conference and emphasized it once again in a recent comment. What about you? Are you buying the Microsoft Surface tablet?