Microsoft is trying to rekindle a rivalry with Apple, introducing two new computers this week that are aimed squarely at the creative set of customers that Apple has long-claimed as its own.
A few years ago, Microsoft was an afterthought for most in the tech world. Having all but missed the mobile revolution, it was hard to believe chief executive Satya Nadella when he said last year that Microsoft would focus on making innovative products people loved.
Microsoft, still looking to shake off its image as the default option for the world’s cubicle workers, took to a New York City stage Tuesday to show off a generation of products designed to promote passion and creativity – not just productivity.
Microsoft introduced a new desktop, reimagined with touchscreen and pen technology that have earned it a following for its Surface tablets. The 28-inch computer, called the Surface Studio, sits on sleek chrome arms and can adjust to a flat angle for writers and sketchers who want to use it as an enormous piece of paper. Its minimalist design brought to mind the obsessive simplicity of Apple’s thinnest Macs.