Surface: How it started, how it´s going.

The soul of innovation has always been about what helps people to live the life they dream of. Since launching our first device, Surface has changed (and is continuing to change) the market with new form factors and hardware innovations and it got popular by enabling new ways for productivity in the digital age. Today I want to share my perspective on how our most recent announcements fit into the device philosophy of Microsoft. 

A device for every person, work style and location

Going after premium and reinventing categories has always been the approach of Surface. So ever since Microsoft launched the first device about eight years ago, we have seen a lot of innovation. Surface Pro was a real game changer for the PC market when it established the 2in1 category. With Surface Book we presented our first laptop with a detachable screen in 2016. In the same year, the large-screen device Surface Hub was delivered to give companies new opportunities to work together as a team. This was followed in 2017 by Surface Studio, a completely new form factor which allowed creative professionals to work even more intuitively on the desktop. Surface Laptop became available that year as well – a premium laptop with everything we love about Surface. Surface Go was released in 2018 – the smallest and most portable Surface to that date. In October 2019, we introduced Surface Pro X – the thinnest Surface Pro device ever based on a Qualcomm chip with LTE-connectivity. And with Surface Duo we brought innovation to a foldable mobile device – impossibly thin and with two high-resolution touchscreens. Furthermore, we created great Surface accessories that help you to stay in your flow – for example Surface Headphones with over-ear noise-cancelling or Surface Earbuds for in-ear-usage equipped with touch-sensors for gesture control.

Keeping you productive in a remote world

This October we took the next step in our Surface journey. For many of us our everyday lives remain remote and the PC continues to be our Window to the world, which keeps us connected to our work or school, to our friends and families. With our latest Surface announcement, we address these current requirements of our customers. Surface Laptop Go delivers the perfect balance of style, performance, and battery life in the lightest, most affordable Surface laptop yet. For families, students and businesses looking for a new device to add to their households or organizations, Surface Laptop Go offers a premium Surface look and feel at an amazing value. Surface Pro X gets a refresh as well: The top models in the series are now equipped with the new Microsoft SQ2 processor for more power for mobile use and are now available in black and platinum. Last but not least, Microsoft has announced new accessories that support users in digital work and learning.

Unlock potential for people and the planet

All these amazing Surface products are coming with integrity build-in. This means, Microsoft is committed to drive innovation that fosters a more sustainable future together with our customers, suppliers, and partners. With Surface our approach with devices is committed to increase the sustainability of products and supply chain. The sustainability of Surface begins with the design, with as much emphasis on what our devices are made of, and how they are made, as on what they can do for our customers. Therefore, Microsoft sets the goal of 100 percent recyclable packaging and Surface devices by 2030.

We are on an exciting journey, that once started with a focus on mobile use. Today the Surface portfolio offers a wide range of devices for consumers and companies. A diverse portfolio that emerged from Microsoft’s ambition to design a Surface for every person, work style or location to enable customers to work and learn from anywhere. This is the spirit of Surface, to empower people to be their most productive and creative – all of this delivered in a premium and sustainable product, which is not just something you need to use, but something you love to use.