Microsoft (MSFT) Introduces Surface Pro 7+ for Business

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) has announced a new entry to its Surface line of personal computers, Surface Pro 7+ for Business. “The year 2020 brought one of the greatest accelerations of digital transformation in our lives,” as Microsoft states in its press release, and continues to say that the new device is designed with the specific purpose of improving the efficiency of remote and hybrid work. . and educational environments that developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Microsoft also announced that the new Surface Hub 2S 85 “would begin shipping in select markets in late January 2021. This device is an interactive whiteboard.

Surface Pro 7+ for Business – Development Rationale

“Last year, Surface usage within business organizations nearly doubled due to strong growth in the use of productivity and collaboration applications to maintain business continuity,” Microsoft says. The new Surface Pro 7+ for business is apparently intended to maintain this sales momentum.

More specifically, Microsoft lists “four key learnings” that emerged in the course of its “extensive research” that guided the development of the Surface Pro 7+ for business:

• “The future of work and learning is hybrid and requires more flexibility.”
• “Connectivity is critical to seamless business operations.”
• “Camera to camera is the new face to face.”
• “End-to-end security from chip to cloud is more critical than ever.”

When discussing the Surface Pro line in general, Microsoft states: “[P]People shouldn’t have to choose between the portability and convenience of a tablet and the power and productivity of a traditional laptop. Over the past seven years, the Surface Pro has become known for its versatility, power and performance, brilliant touchscreen, pen capabilities, and long battery life. “

Surface Pro 7+ for Business – Key New Features

Microsoft highlights these key new features in Surface Pro 7+ for Business:

• “[O]optional LTE Advanced … which helps keep people connected at home if Wi-Fi bandwidth is limited or they are in a remote location. “That is, unlike most other personal computers , Surface Pro 7+ Business allows users to connect to cellular networks, just like smartphones and most tablets.
• “11th Gen Intel Core Processors, 2.1x Faster Performance”.
• “[L]Longer battery life of up to 15 hours. “
• “[T]a adaptability to attach to external displays and take advantage of the peripherals needed for a complete workstation setup. “
• “[F]front and rear cameras … with 1080p Full HD video “.
• “Dolby Atmos speakers and dual far-field studio microphones so people can be seen and heard.”
• “[M]environmentally friendly packaging … [that] sets a new bar for light and sustainable commercial packaging. “

List prices start at $ 899 for Wi-Fi setup and $ 1,149 for advanced LTE setup.However, actual prices for business customers are likely to be undercut from these figures.

Importance for investors

Over the years, Microsoft has transformed from a software vendor to a full-range technology company that also includes hardware, such as the Surface line of personal computers and cloud computing services. As noted above, the new Surface Pro 7+ for business is proof that Microsoft is determined to stay on the cutting edge when it comes to hardware. Additionally, the focus on releasing an enterprise version before a consumer version is indicative of the importance to Microsoft of mass sales to large organizations.

It remains to be seen whether the technical advancements Microsoft touts for Surface Pro 7+ for Business live up to the company’s representations. It also remains to be seen if this new version has a major impact on sales, especially in light of Microsoft’s claim about strong sales of previous models in the last year. Many of these business customers are unlikely to decide to upgrade so soon. As a result, Microsoft can bet on winning even more business customers with this model, as well as betting that remote working and learning environments will remain pervasive in the future.