The Redmond giant is gearing up to launch the premium version of its tablet, Surface with Window 8 Pro, in the United States and Canada on February 9. And one thing it hopes is that the slate starts replacing laptops in the business sector.
Microsoft has made clear the fact that the Surface Pro is more appropriate for business users, while its smaller cousin, the Surface RT is aimed at consumers looking to buy a Windows tablet.
In fact, Stella Chernyak, the senior director of Windows Enterprise at Microsoft revealed to The Wall Street Journal that they have designed the Surface Pro based on feedback received from around 800 business customers.
And apparently a lot of them highlighted the need for a keyboard and a stylus that makes drawing and writing on the screen easier.
For this reason the Surface Pro will not come with a Touch Cover or Type Cover —instead a Touch Pen stylus will be delivered with the device.
Still, one important objective for the Redmond giant would be convincing IT decision makers in businesses and enterprise sectors to buy its new tablet for their employees. Microsoft is trying to position Surface Pro as a device that can be easily and efficiently administrated by IT staff.
The rise in the popularity of tablet computers powered by iOS and Android platforms has led to a trend where these devices have started making appearances in workplaces and offices, the world over.
A lot rides on the Surface Pro for Microsoft as it faces a decline in sales of computers and devices running Windows.
The lure of seamless device management and the ability to run regular Windows apps on the Surface Pro is something Microsoft would be hoping plays into its favor in the months that follow.
All Comments
With such a high price tag, no business will replace all their computers with Surface Pro. Probably only those who must have it will get it. The first who gets it will probably be the CEO.
Or the CIO. 😉
At my company, I could see people who work showsite getting these. They’re on their feet a lot on the show floor, and those would be easier to tote around than regular laptops.