Michael Dell: Tablets' Rapid Rise A Big Surprise

Michael Dell, founder and chief executive of Dell, Inc., recently sat down with the Wall Street Journal to discuss the company's big challenges as it diversifies beyond affordable consumer PCs.

Asked to name the most surprising thing to happen to the tech industry in the past four years, Dell answered, "[the] rapid rise of the tablet."

"I didn't completely see that coming," Dell admitted.

He continued by predicting that Android tablets would match and eventually eclipse the iPad.

"Tablets aren't really new, in the sense that the tablet PC idea's been around for a while. Obviously, more recent products have been much more successful," Dell said. "What's also interesting is Apple's great success with the iPhone. Android comes along, even greater success. I think you'll see the same thing on tablets, with enormous numbers of Android tablets with Dell certainly playing a role in that as well."

When does Dell think Android tablets will "outpace" the iPad? "Not tomorrow. Not the next day. But again, if you look at 18 months ago, Android phones were like, 'What is that?' [...] I don't see any reason why the same won't occur with Android tablets," he told the Journal.

According to rumors, Dell plans to release three new iPad-sized tablets later this year, one powered by Google's Android platform and two by Microsoft's Windows 7 platform.

In March, Andy Lark, Dell's global head of marketing for large enterprises and public organizations, spoke confidently about the future of the Android and Windows platforms and said that the iPad would not succeed in enterprise because of Apple's "closed" ecosystem" and because of the device's "high" price.

For more about Dell's plans in the enterprise market, read the rest of Michael Dell's Q&A with WSJ.

Comments

[Winski]

08:26 PM on 05/04/2011

So mikey should probably go back to making desktops in a dorm with Balmer keeping watch as his customer base quickly turns away and the company that bears his name slowly sinks into the dust..

[JavaSavant]

06:45 PM on 04/26/2011

I'm no Apple fanboy, but how can he say that the iPad's "high price" is holding it back when any comparable Android device either costs the same or more?

[helioszephyr]

05:25 PM on 04/26/2011

A surprise?! Is this guy living under a rock, or what?

[ScottV]

02:22 PM on 04/26/2011

The fact that anyone still buys Dell's crap is the biggest surprise of them all.

[AngryBuddist]

01:15 PM on 04/26/2011

Yep... all gonna be pads and phones going forward. Time for Dell to close down the company, sell everything, and give the shareholders back their money.

[SmoothDaddyG]

12:57 AM on 04/26/2011

Tablets r yesterday. The future is the cloud! The device doesn't matter. Get to your data no matter what device you're using.

[djluc]

02:10 PM on 04/26/2011

It still matters even with the cloud. It comes down to the experience, not just access to data. As long as the device can get out of the user's way and make access a pleasant and seamless experience, that device will win. The iPad is prime example. Tablets have been around for years but they were more niche items. The iPad is mainstream because of the experience, not the data.

[ScottV]

02:24 PM on 04/26/2011

Don't rely on Dell's cloud services, it totally su.cks. They have no clue as to what they are doing.

[frank day]

09:13 PM on 04/25/2011

The iPad is user friendly.
Great for kids and old people.
Games and FaceBook is all the majority (non tech) people want a pc for anyway.

[zfred]

06:34 PM on 04/25/2011

It's all about games these days, according to a new survey:http://blog.surveytool.com/2011/04/25/google-survey-finds-tablets-are-for-playing-games/

[frank day]

09:10 PM on 04/25/2011

yep
smartphone and tab sales are being driven by minigames

[French Toast]

06:23 PM on 04/25/2011

Even if what he says is true, Dell won't be leading the way. I can't wait until Dell goes the way of the Gateway.

[frank day]

09:11 PM on 04/25/2011

Gateway's products went downhill so fast.

Dell was right behind them.

Too bad really.

[French Toast]

12:00 AM on 04/26/2011

I destroyed my last Gateway with my fist and feet like it was the Office Space copier. I'm not joking. That's how angry the thing made me.

I will not mourn the passing of Dell.

[Amit Nagpal]

03:40 PM on 04/25/2011

This man said steve jobs shd shut down apple and not lose more of the investor's money. Obviously now whatever this man says now has zero credibility.

[snooty]

03:31 PM on 04/25/2011

Michael Dell has made quit a few promises over the years. He is a plain old liar. His product is manufactured in another country even though he years ago promised to fix that. He also promised to quit outsourcing tech support. You couldn't give me a dell product and none of my companies use dell.

[WalterDog]

04:27 PM on 04/25/2011

So where do you think the iPad is made--Indiana? Of course it's made in China. Everything is. Even Apple's tech support is overseas.

I love to see all the Apple sheep come running to defend the cult. Look nothing against Apple products but keep in mind it is A MACHINE not a membership card in some exclusive club.

[French Toast]

06:22 PM on 04/25/2011

Except that Apple hasn't promised to keep it here or bring it back. I love people like you who are so quick to try to find something to quibble about that you end up arguing the wrong thing.

[Onutz]

09:49 PM on 04/25/2011

((I love to see all the Apple sheep come running to defend the cult. Look nothing against Apple products but keep in mind it is A MACHINE not a membership card in some exclusive club))

And nobody knows machines better than robots, drones and droids....

[Wung tee Ree]

03:08 PM on 04/25/2011

OH wow, this makes a whole lot of sense when you think about it.
www.how-to-be-anon.at.tc

[tbrad]

01:15 PM on 04/25/2011

Duh....Not Winning.

Get out the boardroom Mr Dell.
It is clear the average consumer is going to go towards the Phone PC model. The Net Book was a precursor. The iPhone, writing on the wall. The Laptop and Desktop will remain for business, gaming and education but for the rest of the world folks will want a Phone based PC that they carry everywhere. Even the tablet has its days numbered.....its too big to carry everywhere. Though for business and education it certainly will have a big impact...it may replace the legal pad. Social Networking is driving the Phone PC, because it is the new personal communication media. Replacing the physical phone and cell phones. With really big leaps in processor power coming, mico HDMI\USB connections, 3g and 4g networks, etc... there is no reason for the average consumer to own a PC or laptop anymore. Once the prices get below 300.00, Dell's and HP's laptop and Desktop sales will plummet.

[trumbull desi]

01:40 PM on 04/25/2011

Actually, its about different form factors being able to obtain your data wherever you (IMHO). When you're on the go, you want to get all your data on your phone. When you're at your desk. you want a full-fledged, large screen model. When you're travelling, you want thin and light with a moderate sized-screen. The content is the thing, getting it when you need it, wherever you on, on the right sized vehicle for the moment.

[tlhwraith]

05:31 PM on 04/25/2011

I think tbrads point (and I agree) is that the form factors are gradually converging. Take a look at devices like the Atrix on AT&T...it's a good idea and the shape of things to come. Basically they took a cell phone and gave it a beefed up processor, more memory, and the ability to "dock" to a full size keyboard and mouse. BAsically you get the best of all worlds, portability yet the ability to work comfortably when needed. That is the future of devices, a single easily portable "box" that uses external peripherals to expand functionality as needed.

[javajava]

01:12 PM on 04/25/2011

No one but apple saw the market for tablets. Not bloggers, not analysts and certainly not PC makers. Even after ipad launched Wall St. missed by 5 fold the numbers predicted sold. I think Dell is just about right. There is room for an alternative and certainly if priced competitively there is now reason not to offer them. I chose android over ios and millions of others have too. If tablet makers and google finally get android for a tablet right I would say better late than never. As a matter of fact I look forward to the first real usable android tablet.

[Lucian Armasu]

02:11 PM on 04/25/2011

Mike Arrington saw it quite a while ago with the CrunchPa. Unfortunately, they had some problems and probably the execution wasn't the best. Also, 2009/2010 might've been too early for a "web-only tablet"

[javajava]

02:24 PM on 04/25/2011

Yeah the Crunchpad JooJoo fiasco really set back alternatives to ipad.

[tlhwraith]

05:34 PM on 04/25/2011

I still wonder whether iPads success was a function of people wanting tablets...or more so of the sheer talent of Apple to market the iPad. I've written apps for the iPad and have had a chance to interact with a lot of iPad users and I still have a hard time finding people who say "yeah, I was waiting for a tablet solution before the iPad and bought one because of it". No, most times it is "I got an iPad because it "seemed cool" and afterwards I found things to use it for".

[ScottV]

02:27 PM on 04/26/2011

No doubt they are cool, the only problem so far is that Apple has no idea how to work with Enterprise customers which is slowing down the adoption of the iPad to those customers. If they had the tools and understand on how to support enterprises there is no telling how many they would sell.

[crayola 08b]

01:00 PM on 04/25/2011

since 1977 Apple has created demand for products that other tech companies just couldn't figure out how to; first the ceo's laugh and make fun of whatever the product is, then they're dumbfounded when it becomes a huge hit, after that everybody jumps on the gravy train chanting "me too". All aboard!

[Onutz]

09:52 PM on 04/25/2011

(( first the ceo's laugh and make fun of whatever the product is, then they're dumbfounded))

Then they yell, "We make their product better than THEY do!!!
Please bleeDat!