Surface: Microsoft’s enterprise bulwark against the iPad

Written by

Justin Watt, via Daring Fireball:

Integrating iOS and thinking of mobile development in parallel with desktop software development for this many users isn’t an easy or quick task and for that reason the Surface may succeed very well in the enterprise. It’s more of the same.

This really goes to the heart of where Microsoft’s strength may be with Surface: It’s running Windows. And while it’s a new version, it’s essentially the same operating system (and ecosystem) that IT people around the world have depended on since the early 1990s. That’s why Watt entitled his post “Goliath Wants David’s Market,” and there’s a big grain of truth there.



  • VGISoftware

    As we brace ourselves for the wave of mouthpiece anal-ysts’ yap-yap proselytizing these new gadgets, it yet remains for actual products to survive the gauntlet of price, user experience, developer support, etc. With no announced delivery dates, it could be a while. . .

  • Chuck

    When IT people around the world are still reluctant to upgrade beyond Windows XP many of those who upgraded did all the work for Windows 7 skipping Vista. Somehow I don’t think IT people around the world are any more reluctant to upgrade to Windows RT.

    • Peter Cohen

      But given the choice between supporting devices that run Windows 8 Pro/Windows RT or iOS, which are they more likely to choose?

      • lucascott

        The one that works best and/or the one that their bosses demand.

        The days of IT deciding what gets used are ending and fast. Now if the guy that signs your paycheck says he wants to use something you work with it or you find another job

  • http://www.tumblr.com/blog/his-divine-shadow His Shadow

    Given that Microsoft’s enterprise bulwark couldn’t keep out iPhones and iPads, didn’t prevent the Blackberry from becoming an also ran, and did not allow any of Microsoft’s previous efforts to redefine mobile computing to obtain a foothold (never mind footprint)… in light of all that, I don’t think this grain is going to amount to a beach any time soon.