PCs have long been dead. Besides a few iMacs and the occasional replacements to desktops, not many people are investing in PCs. In fact, a Gartner report released a fortnight ago showed that PC shipments had declined for an eighth straight quarter in the third quarter of 2016. Though most people are moving away from PCs, Microsoft, in a bid to revive the old genus, last week announced a new line of PCs—Surface Studio—targetting designers, engineers and artists. While the Redmond, Washington-based company had made a foray into laptops two years ago with its line of Surface notebooks, the new venture would complete its line-up in the hardware market given that it has PCs, laptops and phones in its stable.
Though the new line of PCs is unlike the old one—they sport a touch-screen which can support 3D designing and virtual reality apps—the segment may not be as attractive as it was a few years ago. Whether Microsoft’s gamble would be successful remains to be seen, but PC is another step in the direction of integrating products across all platforms. Moreover, the new range, which is specifically-targeted at the workplace also represents Microsoft’s push to revive its stronghold in the office market. Also, with more people abandoning personal devices to get a better work-life balance, Microsoft may see a revival of fortunes as offices start moving back to PCs.
