Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled its first laptop alongside a host of new devices, including the first Lumia smartphones to ship with Windows 10.
The laptop, called Surface Book, features a 13.5-inch touchscreen that detaches, turning it into a large-screen tablet, and boasts a battery life of up to 12 hours. Clearly designed to tempt MacBook fans, it offers a choice of hard disk size, RAM, processor speed, and an optional graphics processor.
It is expensive though, with the base model priced at US$1,499, and the range-topping model costing $2,699. It is already available to preorder from Microsoft’s online store.
Meanwhile, after a long wait, Microsoft finally introduced the first Lumia smartphones designed specifically to run on Windows 10. The company has taken the same path as Apple and Google by releasing two smartphones with different-sized touchscreens: the Lumia 950, and its larger-screened stablemate, the 950 XL. They feature 20 megapixel cameras that are able to capture 4K ultra-high-definition (UHD) video.
It is in the smartphone category that Microsoft has struggled most with unifying the user experience across multiple form factors, and it is with Windows 10 and its new Lumias that it has made its most concerted effort to do so.
Using Microsoft’s new Display Dock, the user can connect their Windows 10 Lumia to a monitor as well as a keyboard and mouse, effectively turning their smartphone into a small desktop PC.
In order to feel like a truly unified experience though, the same apps need to function exactly the same way across all devices, which is where universal apps come in.
First introduced in Windows 8, universal apps enable developers to make one app that is compatible with all Windows device types. Microsoft is ramping up its efforts in this regard, and has convinced Facebook, Instagram, and Uber, among others to release universal apps.
"These devices promise to fuel even more enthusiasm and opportunity for the entire Windows ecosystem," claimed Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, in a statement.
The Lumia 950 and 950 XL cost $549 and $649 respectively, and are due to go on sale in November.
In addition, Microsoft also showed off the Surface Pro 4, the latest edition of its high-end tablet, which is pitched as a replacement for the very same laptops that Microsoft is now in the business of selling.
It boasts a thinner case, a new detachable keyboard that is backwards-compatible with the Surface Pro 3, and a new stylus that can sense 1,024 different levels of pressure, making for a more handwriting-like experience.
The Surface Pro 4 starts at $899 and is available for preorder from today. It will ship in the U.S. and Canada on 26 October.
Microsoft is also keen to maintain a presence in the much-hyped wearables segment, and to that end it has updated its Band fitness tracker. In terms of features little has changed compared to its predecessor, or any other smartband for that matter.
Instead, Microsoft has updated its looks by equipping it with a curved screen. With prices starting at $249, it is considerably cheaper than the Apple Watch. It is due to ship in the U.S. on 30 October.
At the heart of Microsoft’s hardware strategy lies Windows 10 of course, which has already been installed on 110 million products since its official launch in July.
Microsoft doubtless hopes that the momentum behind its latest operating system will compel consumers to try out its new laptop and give its smartphones at least one more chance.
