Microsoft - A Parallel Universe
Although I had already registered that Microsoft were due to open their first non-North’s American “flagship” store in London it was only thanks to a piece of serendipity that I emerged out of the underground at Oxford Circus right in front of the store that had opened this morning.
However I suspect that I would have known something was up because the energy emanating from the space was tangible in the extreme !
Think of the vibrancy and coolness of Apple five or six years ago and double it.
Three floors of product and service and a LOT of opportunity to interact. This is no sterile box but a building full of corners with intrigue and discovery around each one of them. I’m guessing they have staffed today over and above a normal rooster but there was a lot of knowledge and passion in that building.
And the winding staircase was a bonus !
Look I’ll be honest, I’m a split household - a very heavy user of iPad and iPhone, a Windows laptop user and using Microsoft 365 across all platforms to seamlessly connect and use Office tools.
It all works like a dream but, there was always a tendency to gently whisper the Microsoft parts of that set-up. It just didn’t seem cool. When two or more Microsoft Office users came together it was like a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Microsoft Surface started to close that gap - although the hardware price points are still too eye-watering.
But today was like entering a parallel universe - a universe where Microsoft was cool. And why shouldn’t it be - they are lightyears ahead on VR and Gaming, their UI and UX is getting better and better and they’ve achieved cloud integration which is flawless.
With industrial design is getting stronger with choices galore.
And that’s probably why, as I write this, Microsoft has a stock market valuation of over $1 trillion and Apple is under a $1 trillion. The hunted has become the hunter once again.
Fortunes wane and wax but I left that store feeling that Microsoft is very much back in the race and as I walked past the Apple store a few doors down there seemed to be a lot more room to move.
About The Author
The author is a brand consultant and founder of Mission Critical, a highly focused and curated weekly briefing for time poor and information hungry decision makers and THE FIRST, a monthly briefing containing 31 inspirational insights.
