Although Microsoft has been a long time competitor with other big-time technology companies such as Apple Inc., they recently introduced themselves to a new market. They just proclaimed a deal with Delta Airlines to incorporate 30,000 Surface 2 tablets and Nokia Lumia 820 Windows Phones to be used by pilots and flight attendants in order to achieve the goal of being paper free by the end of 20141.
As companies come to realize the potential cost reductions involved with paperless methods through these innovative technology advancements, there will be a massive demand for tablets in this business segment. Apple has held a near monopoly in the tablet market for large corporations until the Delta Airlines deal. As Microsoft introduced their own tablets, their reputation in the business consumer segment gives them a competitive advantage and a growing market for business tablets.
While Apple holds a reputation that does not exemplify complacency, it will be interesting to follow the market and observe how Apple responds to Microsoft’s new business focused consumer segmentation.
1: Bort, Julie. “MICROSOFT COUP: Delta Air Lines Just Bought 11,000 Surface Tablets And 19,000 Windows Phones.” Business Insider. N.p., 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 02 Oct. 2013. <http://www.businessinsider.com/delta-buys-rt-tablets-windows-phones-2013-9>.
Figure 1: http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5249a2ae69bedd243592329d-800-/delta-airlines-windows-phone.jpg