Surface Book and SP4 Thoughts
Well, Microsoft devices event is over now. New phones don't really deserve much talk, they are more or less as leaked. Continuum is more or less exactly what I thought it would be. I also predicted no Google related announcements. So, nothing at present that I really expect to change anything in mobile for Microsoft. Not to say they aren't nice devices... they simply don't do anything to make me care or make me change my stance that they will be killed off.
The Surface devices are a little more interesting, and each in its own way.
Firstly the new Surface Pro 4. This is nothing revolutionary, but then, it didn't need to be. It does have all of the right upgrades. Bio-metric Surface cover, Windows Hello support and better specs at the same price point as the SP 3. The fingerprint reader in the cover is a nice add I wasn't expecting. But, the iris scanner will be much more convenient I think, mostly making the fingerprint reader a waste. Outside of that the improvements on the cover are obviously welcome, but are otherwise not noteworthy.
The pen improvements are interesting if only because they further separate the Surface Pro lineup from the already lackluster iPad Pro offering. Adding an eraser end, magnetic clipping to the tablet and year long battery life put the already superior offering even further ahead. The only thing the Apple Pencil had going for it was being rechargeable, and the battery life undoubtedly necessitates that. Also, I don't want to use my only accessory port to charge an accessory. But, realistically, no one cares about styli, no matter how fancy they are. Surface Pen and Apple Pencil aren't going to sell any sizable volume on their own.
For the Surface Pro 4 then, I think my conclusion is simple. It is largely business as usual. There will be a spike in sales from the fans and then steady sales. I wouldn't be surprised if Surface Pro sales neither increase or fall. Without some other news, I just don't see anything to draw new consumers to the devices. If they gain in sales it will be through Dell and HP reselling to businesses, which really has little specifically to do with the new hardware.
And that brings us to the Surface Book. What a terrible name! And the hinge is cool, but UGLY. It looks solid though and that IS important for a detachable. The dedicated graphics chip is a nice add as well. I'll be honest, the second they showed it, I knew it was a detachable, and that disappointed me. It isn't truly innovative. It is too big for a tablet even if it remains light enough. This, in my opinion, is not a new category of device like the Surface Pro was. What they got right was the price though. It is out of range to be a competitor for most of their OEMs.
I hope Microsoft licenses the technology in their hinge though. I'd like to see some more attractive detachables that leverage that mechanism (if it is as strong as it looks). I currently use a Yoga as my personal device because my wife needed the Surface upgrade more and because I use my computers as a laptop more than a tablet. I had a few detachables in the past and they were always either cheap connectors or unreliable.
I guess, like the iPad Pro, I don't really know who (aside from MS fans) will want the device. For $1400+ I can but a LOT. Including a well equipped Surface Pro 4, which as I've said before, truly can replace a laptop. The premium (and odd) look of the device don't make up for the cost.
I am glad however that there was no Surface Mini. Good to see at least one company not racing to the bottom in prices. Especially since it would have capitalized on more of their OEMs market.
The Surface devices are a little more interesting, and each in its own way.
Firstly the new Surface Pro 4. This is nothing revolutionary, but then, it didn't need to be. It does have all of the right upgrades. Bio-metric Surface cover, Windows Hello support and better specs at the same price point as the SP 3. The fingerprint reader in the cover is a nice add I wasn't expecting. But, the iris scanner will be much more convenient I think, mostly making the fingerprint reader a waste. Outside of that the improvements on the cover are obviously welcome, but are otherwise not noteworthy.
The pen improvements are interesting if only because they further separate the Surface Pro lineup from the already lackluster iPad Pro offering. Adding an eraser end, magnetic clipping to the tablet and year long battery life put the already superior offering even further ahead. The only thing the Apple Pencil had going for it was being rechargeable, and the battery life undoubtedly necessitates that. Also, I don't want to use my only accessory port to charge an accessory. But, realistically, no one cares about styli, no matter how fancy they are. Surface Pen and Apple Pencil aren't going to sell any sizable volume on their own.
For the Surface Pro 4 then, I think my conclusion is simple. It is largely business as usual. There will be a spike in sales from the fans and then steady sales. I wouldn't be surprised if Surface Pro sales neither increase or fall. Without some other news, I just don't see anything to draw new consumers to the devices. If they gain in sales it will be through Dell and HP reselling to businesses, which really has little specifically to do with the new hardware.
And that brings us to the Surface Book. What a terrible name! And the hinge is cool, but UGLY. It looks solid though and that IS important for a detachable. The dedicated graphics chip is a nice add as well. I'll be honest, the second they showed it, I knew it was a detachable, and that disappointed me. It isn't truly innovative. It is too big for a tablet even if it remains light enough. This, in my opinion, is not a new category of device like the Surface Pro was. What they got right was the price though. It is out of range to be a competitor for most of their OEMs.
I hope Microsoft licenses the technology in their hinge though. I'd like to see some more attractive detachables that leverage that mechanism (if it is as strong as it looks). I currently use a Yoga as my personal device because my wife needed the Surface upgrade more and because I use my computers as a laptop more than a tablet. I had a few detachables in the past and they were always either cheap connectors or unreliable.
I guess, like the iPad Pro, I don't really know who (aside from MS fans) will want the device. For $1400+ I can but a LOT. Including a well equipped Surface Pro 4, which as I've said before, truly can replace a laptop. The premium (and odd) look of the device don't make up for the cost.
I am glad however that there was no Surface Mini. Good to see at least one company not racing to the bottom in prices. Especially since it would have capitalized on more of their OEMs market.
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