Microsoft takes a jab at Apple’s MacBook Air in new video

NEW DELHI: Having tried to distract the media by organizing an after party during Apple’s WWDC event this year, it seems Microsoft isn’t done yet. Now, the Redmond-based tech giant has once again taken a shot at Apple, posting a video advertisement pitting its Surface Pro 4 hybrid against the Core i7-powered variant of the MacBook Air 13.

The video, posted on Microsoft’s Surface YouTube channel, talks about the hybrid’s several features that are missing from the Apple MacBook Air. The video goes even further, labelling the MacBook Air “as useful as a hat for your cat”.

Microsoft’s video emphasizes the Surface Pro 4’s numerous features such as detachable keyboard, stylus, touchscreen, doodling functionality and the ability to fold. The video further calls the MacBook Air “slower, heavy and bit square.”


While tech companies taking a shot at each other is nothing new, Microsoft’s video might be an indirect advertisement for its Surface line of devices. The could also be the case because the company is rumoured to be launching the Surface Book 2 soon.

Microsoft recently posted an image on its Surface Instagram account, which is rumoured to be of the upcoming Surface Book 2. However, users in the comments section claimed the image to be of the current Surface Book only, but just in a different colour.

Although Apple currently has no plans of launching a hybrid laptop, it is said to be working on new software and hardware features for its iPad Pro tablet.

The upcoming iPad models will come with software upgrades including wider support for the companion stylus accessory - the Apple Pencil. The new software features are expected to arrive as an update to iOS 10 in the first half of next year.

On the hardware side of things, the upcoming iPad models are said to feature "faster display technology" for fluid panning, scrolling and zooming, the details of which are not known yet.