New York
CNN Business
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Fall is the season of new gadgets. Apple recently announced its latest iPhone, Amazon showed off a new smart speaker and even an Alexa-activated microwave, and Google is hosting a product event of its own next week.
But Tuesday’s theme was Microsoft, which unveiled a slew of devices ahead of the holiday shopping season. Its product line includes a new version of its desktop computer, called Surface Studio 2, and its first pair of smart headphones. It also announced the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Laptop 2.
The first Surface, a creativity-focused iMac competitor, launched in October 2016. Its successor, Surface Studio 2, offers improved graphics performance and Microsoft says it’s the fastest Surface device ever. It has a 28-inch display and USB-C support. Pre-orders are available Tuesday, starting at $3,499.
Surface Headphones ($349) offer adjustable noise cancellation and automatic pause and play, which stops the video you’re watching when you take off the headphones. Built-in Microsoft voice assistant Cortana can read your emails aloud or initiate conference calls. Surface Headphones will be available later this year.
Meanwhile, Microsoft says the Surface Pro 6 is 67% faster than its predecessor but has the same battery life (up to 13.5 hours). Microsoft also says it’s easy to switch between laptop, studio, and tablet modes. Available in black and platinum, starting at $899.
The first-generation Surface Pro was launched in 2012 as a tablet. It looks a bit like an iPad, but with a keyboard cover. Microsoft (MSFT) has since shifted its focus to laptops with touch screens. This 2-in-1 format is aimed at people like doctors, pilots, and students who need a tablet for note-taking or reading, but a laptop for full functionality.
Surface Laptop 2 (starting at $999) features faster, quieter typing and up to 14.5 hours of battery life, according to Microsoft. It’s 85% faster than its predecessor, and Surface Laptop 2 is available in a new color (black) alongside existing burgundy, platinum, and blue options.
“Devices are increasingly infiltrating your life. We build these things to satisfy your work and personal life,” Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Modern Life and Devices at Microsoft, told CNN.
The company also launched the next generation of Windows software – called Windows 10 October 2018 Update – which has a heavy focus on productivity. For example, your mobile app transfers text and photos from your Android phone to your PC. (Apple allows such integration with its iMessage service.) You can also integrate your to-do list with Outlook.com and drag an item into an empty spot on your calendar to save time completing it.
Andrew Hewitt, an analyst at research firm Forrester, said the main audience for Microsoft’s new devices are enterprise business professionals. Ahead of Tuesday’s event, he noted that Microsoft has invested heavily in productivity elements, including Timeline, which takes you back to where you were last on files and websites, and Focus Assistant, a feature that limits distractions like notifications. ).
“There’s a sense that Microsoft is trying to compete with Apple in the creative space with new photo and movie editing features,” Hewitt said. “But other features are more aligned with Microsoft’s mission to make employees more productive.”