People love their tablets… except when they don’t. Fixya, a self-described “community based trouble-shooting resource,” has followed up on a report it released last month about the biggest smartphone pain points with a new report showing what everyone hates the most about their tablets. Fixya said that it created its latest report by “sifting through over 10,000 problem impressions to determine the most common issues with each device,” so it does seem to give a pretty good snapshot about tablet owners’ biggest frustrations.
We’ll start with the iPad Air, which looks like it will be a favorite to appear under people’s Christmas trees this year. Fixya says that while users have generally raved about the iPad Air, many have complained about the instability of Safari on the new device and have said that the browser is much more prone to crashing than on other Apple devices. The iPad Air also apparently has some issues with its screen because some users are reporting seeing “grey lines or a yellow tint that cuts across half of the screen.”
Display problems seem to be even more of a pain for owners of the Retina-equipped iPad mini, who list “screen issues” as what they dislike the most about Apple’s newest mini tablet. Fixya says that the Retina iPad mini’s most common display problem is something called “ghosting,” which “happens when users flip between apps and the previous image will still be lightly visible on the screen for a short period of time.” Display expert Raymond Soneira recently raked the Retina iPad mini’s display over the coals so it will be interesting to see what Apple does to address these reported issues in the next generation of the device.
As for Microsoft’s Surface 2, the biggest problem identified by users is hardly surprising: It’s the lack of apps. This problem is particularly acute for the Surface 2 because it runs on Windows RT, the tablet-only operating system that tablet app developers have largely avoided so far in favor of iOS, Android and Windows 8. It would have been nice if Fixya had run a report on problems users have with the Windows 8-based Surface Pro 2 to see if app selection is a big problem on that device as well.
And finally, the biggest problem that users have with Amazon’s new Kindle Fire HDX has been the Silk browser that Fixya says as “proven somewhat unreliable, tending to freeze when opening a new tab and/or navigating to a new web browser.”
Fixya’s full press release follows below.
New Fixya Holiday Tablet Report Surfaces Top Issues with Popular Tablets: Apple iPad Air vs. Microsoft Surface 2 vs. Amazon Kindle HDX vs. iPad Mini with Retina Display
Fixya’s Holiday Tablet Report finds users hoping for more apps on the Surface 2, still having problems with Safari on the iPad Air, frustrated with the instability of the Kindle HDX’s Silk browser, and continually trying to wipe the yellow tint and blurred grey lines from their iPad Minis
SAN MATEO, CALIF. (December 20th, 2013) – Today Fixya, the leading product Q&A destination on the web and mobile, announces the release of a new report comparing the number of fix-it requests across newly released tablets from this year – sifting through over 10,000 problem impressions to determine the most common issues with each device. The Fixya Holiday Tablet Report covers the Microsoft Surface 2, iPad Air, Amazon Kindle HDX, and the iPad Mini with retina display. By looking at the top issues with each device, the Fixya Holiday Tablet Report seeks to provide clarity to consumers before they make their big tablet purchases before the holidays, and to assist those who have already purchased their tablets and are having issues.
To see the full Fixya Holiday Tablet Report, please visit: http://blog.fixya.com/fixyareport/dec2013/tablet-report.html
Fixya’s Holiday Tablet Report aggregates troubleshooting requests posted by consumers through its product Q&A site and iOS mobile app. The report offers not only information on the most common problems with each device, but also provides solutions for these top problems when available. Below are the major trends found within the Fixya Holiday Tablet Report:
- The Microsoft Surface 2 is a great option for the businessman or woman — its full range of Microsoft Office features really appeals to professionals who are on the go. However, its lack of app developers has left the Surface 2 seemingly void of software support for popular apps available on other tablets.
· While Apple’s new iPad Air has received extremely positive reviews overall, it does have a few problems that consistently crop up for owners. A common issue across all iPad platforms is a crashing Safari browser, a problem that seems to persist with the newest iterations of the device. The iPad Air is also reported to have screen issues, with users reporting grey lines or a yellow tint that cuts across half of the screen.
- Fixya users reported battery issues with the new Amazon Kindle HDX, as well as its inability to charge quickly, which is a definite hindrance for a tablet – especially when used for travel. The Kindle HDX’s pre-installed Silk Browser has also proven somewhat unreliable, tending to freeze when opening a new tab and/or navigating to a new web browser.
- The iPad Mini is a solid purchase for entertainment seekers, but it does have its own unique problems that differ from its larger form factor cousin. The biggest problem, known as “ghosting”, happens when users flip between apps and the previous image will still be lightly visible on the screen for a short period of time. Ghosting does present user experience issues, as the iPad mini is touted for its gorgeous retina display.
Below are the top five problems for each tablet in the Fixya Holiday Tablet Report, and the percentage of troubleshooting requests that fall into each problem category:
Top 5 Microsoft Surface 2 Issues:
1. App Support – 25%
2. Speaker Quality – 20%
3. Touch Cover Keyboard – 15%
4. Compatibility with other Microsoft Products – 15%
5. Other – 25%
Top 5 iPad Air Issues:
1. Browser Crashes– 30%
2. Screen Issues – 25%
3. Keyboard Responsiveness – 15%
4. Wi-Fi Connectivity – 15%
5. Other –15%
Top 5 Kindle HDX Issues:
1. Silk Browser – 25%
2. App Support – 20%
3. Battery – 20%
4. Device Freezes – 20%
5. Other – 15%
Top 5 iPad Mini (with retina display) Issues:
1. Screen Issues – 30%
2. Storage Space – 20%
3. Browser Crashes – 20%
4. Keyboard Responsiveness – 15%
5. Other – 15%
Fixya has created this latest report by sourcing data from its 30 million users and 8 million product problems and solutions. Those interested in viewing the full report can do so here: http://blog.fixya.com/fixyareport/dec2013/tablet-report.html
“Tablets are sure to be one of the most popular gifts this holiday season,” said Fixya CEO and founder Yaniv Bensadon. “With so many choices — each of which caters to a different type of user — it’s important for consumers to know the pros and cons of a device before they make a purchase. We want to give the public a fair understanding of what previous device owners are seeing as the most common problems, while also providing some easy fixes for current owners.”
Fixya brings consumers the most comprehensive solution database in the world. Fixya’s unique access to crowd-sourced product Q&A from consumers grants the company transparent data that no other service can claim to provide. Fixya’s troubleshooting data comes from real-life consumer experience with products and product problems.
