Pattern Recognition: Microsoft’s second coming
There’s an odd irony to Microsoft’s unveiling of its new Surface Studio computer in the week that long-time rival Apple announced its first annual decline in sales and profit in 15 years. In the same week Apple unveiled its new MacBook Pro, which was welcomed and panned in seemingly equal parts. It’s a remarkable turn of events that the maker of the computers beloved by designers and the media should suddenly seem out of touch. The most innovative thing in the new MacBook Pro range isn’t its USB Type-C port (which Apple originally introduced with last year’s ultra-slim MacBook and now calls Thunderbolt 3) but a touch-sensitive strip at the top of the keyboard that adjusts what it displays, depending on what app you’re using — including emoji.Yes, it’s taken four years to make it easier to put a "tears of joy" emoji into your e-mail. On the other hand, the Surface Studio is being heaped with praise for reinventing how the computer might function. With the bulk of its hardware set in ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.