Microsoft selling better than Apple in the PC market

Jan 27, 2017 06:35 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has made hardware an essential part of its business, and the Redmond company is already seeing signs of success, with the Surface division growing every quarter.

In the earnings report detailing market performance in the second fiscal quarter, Microsoft revealed that Surface revenue reached $1.3 billion, up from $926 million the previous quarter, mostly thanks to its strong sales recorded by the Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book.

And according to Microsoft itself, Surface sales are going so strong that the company has even managed to beat Apple in the high-end PC market last quarter, as its expensive Windows devices are outselling Cupertino’s, including here MacBooks and iMacs.

While no specifics were provided, seeing the Surface lineup outselling Apple products is not at all surprising, especially when looking at the performance the two companies posted in the last 6 months.

Microsoft vs. Apple in late 2016 hardware

Living proof that Microsoft is overtaking Apple in the hardware business is what happened in the fall of 2016 when both companies unveiled new devices.

First, there’s Microsoft and its Surface Studio, an all-in-one device that converts from a PC into a huge tablet with support for touch, pen, and a completely new accessory called Surface Dial.

The Surface Studio is a revolutionary piece of technology that combines the traditional mouse and keyboard input with touch and other modern ways of working on a computer. All of these without neglecting performance, build quality, and the overall experience offered to users.

Then, there’s Apple and the new-generation MacBook. As compared to everyone’s expectations, the new MacBook has been mostly a super-disappointing product, lacking the high level of innovation that Apple was supposed to bring.

The flagship feature on the MacBook is the new Touch Bar, but otherwise it comes with novelties that have been highly criticized. The MacBook also suffers from inconsistent battery life which doesn’t even match the one offered by its predecessor.

Microsoft seems very keen on continuing investments in expanding the Surface lineup, and this spring the company could take the wraps off new models, including the Surface Pro 5 and the Surface Book 2.