(No, I am not talking about sale my own hardware.) Poops. I am an unregistered user editing this thread!
After successfully launch the new generation of Windows experience, large form factor tablet (w/ pens) and Windows Hello, I am afraid Surface lines of products has run out of its usefulness.
The prolonged upgrade cycle of most successful Surface line, and new device line come out over price, under specs, and most importantly pointless at the price point prove that Surface as the in-house hardware brand of Microsoft is slowly embroiled in the same problem with any in-house brand of platform maker of a platform of OEM model. The conflict of making a successful cutting edge reference product and the interest of OEMs are slowly become uncompromisable. Let’s be clear, as the new generation of the personal computation devices has coming to age and become more commoditized than ever, now is not the time to shake off your OEMs as OEMs model perform better in a commoditized market.
The OEMs in the other hand, would love Microsoft to get out of the actual hardware making business of PCs and get their hands on a multi-billions dollar premium consumer brand name. Especially a brand name has all its lines set up for a very positive (both profit and the word of mouth) renewal once the trade if finalized (in approximate 6-18 moth).
To be clear, I am not arguing MS to sale off Hololens or Xbox, just Surface brand and Surface branded product line. This will help amend the discomfort between it and its OEMs, and refocus Microsoft for doing what it does best, and its roots. And, with this sales, Microsoft will be able to position itself better in retail stores with slowly phase out focus on its own Surface product but offer a more equal opportunity show floor for the best devices from all of its OEMs and how they incorporate into the Windows experience.
Maybe Microsoft is already up to this task, and what they do with current device launch is with the intention of setting up a deal, and the Surface event of late this month could be just that – the announcement of the potential sale – who is better suited for such a purchase than Lenovo, a company recently got unseated as the number 1 PC maker and in need of a premium consumer brand that matches the ThinkPad on international stage… It may not be that, this is just speculation. But that’s all hope Microsoft can make the right decision before too many compromised devices it push out compromise the brand, and Surface hardware become yet another good idea gone bad for the company.
So, what do you think, should Microsoft sale off Surface brand, should the time be now?