A recent commentary calls the Microsoft Surface tablet a “misunderstood jewel.” Its value, the argument goes, lies not in being a major market competitor to the iPad, but in its potential as a powerhouse machine for enterprise use. As it seems clear it won’t really be giving Apple a run for its money anytime soon, focusing the Surface’s marketing and application in the enterprise sphere might be the best thing Microsoft can do right now, positioning its greatest strengths alongside one of its flagship devices. And the company should do so especially if it wants to see the Surface stick somewhere.
Enterprise is that somewhere.
Tablets are terrible creation devices for most people, as evidenced by the iPad thus far. They are great for consumption. But the Surface is actually built to be a creation tool, and therefore has an edge for the enterprise market that the flashier cousin iPad lacks.
It’s designed to function as both a tablet and notebook. It has its own purpose-built keyboard-cover that gets rave reviews even from Apple and Google fanboys. And the operating system and applications are designed to run in dual mode — either as tablet software or laptop software, depending on the configuration.
There have been a few commercials illustrating the Surface’s ability to operate as a tablet and notebook simultaneously, but they have all been targeted mostly at the regular consumer market. The Surface has even more workhorse features that don’t make it into these ads because they’re not necessarily flashy enough. But if we know one thing to be true, enterprise isn’t always flashy. (That’s putting it lightly.) Mitch Wagner points out:
Microsoft itself doesn’t seem to entirely understand the Surface. September’s demo included games. But the Surface isn’t a gaming machine. It’s a machine for work — specifically, enterprise computing. The smart cover means users don’t have to mess around with a third-party keyboard. And when inserted into a docking station, the Surface is designed to be the only computer most users need.
Surface has enterprise capabilities designed to make it appeal to IT. Resellers will provide value-added services such as asset tagging, custom imaging, onsite service and support, recycling, and data protection.
Microsoft claims battery life lasts for more than a workday — “even an international travel day,” the company said in an email.
Less game talk, more productivity talk. Microsoft built a real business power tool, whether or not it realizes it. Approaching it that was could be a game-changer as it faces a minor crisis in what exactly to do now, with its dismal tablet sales numbers.
They have shown again and again that they really, really want to stay in the devices market. It looks like that might be fine, but the trick will lie in navigating such a market in a way that plays on the strengths Microsoft already has. And if it has nothing else, it still has command of a global infrastructure: simply, business. The planet runs on Microsoft. It seems an obvious advantage to use with the Surface, to see its continuation and proliferation.
