On Tuesday, October 6, Microsoft has revealed that they will be releasing an array of new products which is aimed to compete against Apple. Of these new products includes the Lumia 950 and 950XL, Surface Pro 4, Surface Book, Microsoft Band 2, and a virtual reality development kit called the HoloLens.
The most impressive of each of these products is demonstrated in its utility, ease of access, and design. The Lumia 950 in particular is one of Microsoft's first successful attempts to make a dent in Apple's iPhone 6s and the Samsung Galaxy 6 sales. In terms of the Lumia 950's screen size, battery life, storage system, camera quality, biometrics, and affordability, Microsoft is the clear winner.
The Surface Pro 4 as well has directly challenged both Apple's iPad Pro and Macbook Air. The Surface Pro 4, which is a hybrid of a tablet and a laptop uses an Intel Skylake Chip which is the most competitive aspect of the product. With this chip, Microsoft claims that the Surface Pro 5 can operate 50 percent and 30 percent faster to the Macbook Air and Surface Pro 3, respectively. In addition, the Surface Pro 4 is also releasing more tech accessories, such as their new stylus, called the Surface Pen.
Similar to the Surface Pro 4, is perhaps Microsoft's most surprising new product, the Surface Book - the company's first 13-inch laptop. The 13.5 inch screen display, with 267ppi, and Intel Skylake processors, GDDR5 RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce GPU, makes it one of the strongest performing laptops out there. Besides its impressive specs and long battery life, the design of the Surface Book includes its sleek and versatile design, especially when plugged into Microsoft's keyboard - one of the best on the markets. With backlit keys, a glass trackpad, and multi-touch sensing, the company is able to guarantee better performance compared to other keyboards, and also boasts of 1.6mm key travel and silent typing.
Early reviews and impressions for all of Microsoft's new launch, especially the three above mentioned products, have received impressionable and favorable reviews from the public. However, despite all of Microsoft's strong competitive features, they are still losing out to Apple by a considerable amount on the stock market. On the day of Microsoft's announcement of their new products, their stock went from 46.55 to a peak of 47.05, which is rather insignificant when comparing it to Apple's consistent stock of 111.75.
Although these new Microsoft products are either more affordable, or around the same price as Apple products, Apple is still the dominating company in terms of phones, tablets, and laptops. Microsoft still has a long way to go in consumer sales before they can even think about tactfully encroaching on Apple's market sales. Their innovative designs and impressive software however is definitely something to keep an eye on as this company continues to develop and improve its products. But until then, the power behind the brand name of Apple will remain to be the catapulting factor of its large scale success.
