Microsoft Surface product line may need a fresh start

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Recent statistics show that PC shipments in the last quarter of 2022 have experienced a cliff-like decline, down 28.1% year-on-year to 67.2 million units. With the exception of Apple, all manufacturers posted double-digit percentage declines. For many manufacturers, the current PC market is cold.

While content creation and artificial intelligence have both driven the market over the past few years, Microsoft’s Surface lineup has seen little change over the years. Microsoft launched its first Surface product in 2012, setting a new standard in the PC market and blazing a trail for other laptop makers, though it’s now lagging behind.

Surface Laptop 2 support

In the past quarter, the revenue of the Surface product line has also declined significantly, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also mentioned “changes to our hardware portfolio.” Simply put, the Surface line is outdated and in need of a reboot.

In fact, since 2017, Microsoft’s annual regular update of Surface products has changed very little and has become more conservative. If these devices are placed together, I believe it will be difficult for many users to distinguish them at a glance. Except for the port and thickness changes, the exterior has not changed much, and the interior is more of a regular upgrade. You must know that in 2012, Surface products led the PC industry in design and brought many new design ideas.

In contrast, other OEMs are still working hard to try various possibilities. Think Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, a book-like dual-screen laptop, or Asus’ ProArt StudioBook 16, which features an OLED screen that supports glasses-free 3D. With the downturn in the PC market, Microsoft’s hardware sales are struggling, which may be its perfect opportunity to reshape the Surface product line.

Via: pcworld

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