Microsoft’s latest innovation redefines traditional computing with a streamlined device that functions as a portal to your cloud-based computer.
Tailored for the future of hybrid work and the lives of digital nomads, this new PC enhances connectivity for corporate employees, seamlessly linking them to their programs and files in the cloud.
In what has been an underwhelming year for Microsoft, there has been an internal recognition that maybe the company may need to head in a different direction.
In this, the company leadership has decided to jump into a new market that will service companies and workers who want to keep their work and private lives extremely separate.
After years of struggling to break into the ranks of leading PC manufacturers with its Surface line, Microsoft is now pursuing a fresh strategy in a well-established hardware category.
In the second quarter, the company reported a decline of approximately 11% in device revenue, amounting to $1.2 billion, even as total PC shipments saw a modest increase of around 2%, according to estimates.
The Windows 365 Cloud Link is set for limited release across the U.S., Canada, and select other countries, launching in April for $349 in targeted markets.
Powered by an Intel chip, this sleek, puck-shaped device boasts 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage while weighing under a pound, making it easy to place on a desk or mount discreetly behind a monitor.
This launch follows three years after Microsoft unveiled Windows 365, enabling employees to access their personalized virtual desktops from any device.
The demand for desktop virtualisation surged after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as remote work became the norm.
Early testers have had nothing but rave reviews about this new line of laptops coming from Microsoft. However, reservations about the price have been brought up as a possible stumbling block, and while companies will be able to afford this on mass, a paired-down version may be needed for individuals whose companies don’t provide laptops.
The Windows 365 Cloud Link is a “nice alternative” to thin clients, said Melissa Grant, a senior director of product marketing at Microsoft.
Source: CNBC