Since the second half of last year, there have been many two in one tablet computer products on the market (this paper only discusses the products equipped with win system removable keyboard). Both first-line and second-line manufacturers are starting to launch relevant products.
As far as the pconline evaluation room is concerned, it has successively received a number of new two in one tablet computers, such as ASUS fearless two in one OLED touch-screen notebook, Huawei matebook e, HP star 11x2 two in one tablet computer, etc. this situation is hard to imagine in recent years.
All kinds of facts are telling us that the two in one tablet computer that was once "brilliant" has been killed again!
The reason is that, on the one hand, thanks to technological development, the release of windows 11 has made a good optimization of the touch experience, bringing smaller installation packages and smooth experience, so that manufacturers can see that the two in one tablet is "still able to eat".
On the other hand, the popularity of the concept and the improvement of consumers' demand for mobile office, especially the continuous iteration of products represented by surface, which is used with the wonderful control keyboard launched by apple with the iPad, indirectly proves that this special category "between PC and tablet" still has its significance.
Under various factors, with the rising demand for mobile office, this kind of products have been re valued by PC manufacturers.
However, it is undeniable that this notebook category, which has been launched for more than ten years (it may be earlier if studied carefully), now needs to solve the problem of users' poor "first impression" of them and how to make users pay when their PC demand is saturated.
Can the 2-in-1 tablet computer, which has been regrouped and killed, still usher in a "Renaissance"?
From fighting apple to being copied by Apple“
Two in one, as the name suggests, is a terminal product that combines traditional PC and tablet. At the same time, it is a new product with the form of "powerful performance of PC" and "portability of tablet".
When discussing such products, the surface series launched by Microsoft cannot be avoided.
A decade ago, Apple launched the epoch-making iPad and quickly seized the personal computing market. This tool between mobile phone and PC has changed users' entertainment life (iqiyi) since then.
In the face of this situation of iPad dominance, Microsoft's hardware partners such as Dell, HP and Lenovo did not give "satisfactory" products.
Therefore, Microsoft first released surface on June 18, 2012.
The first generation of surface products adopts a magnesium alloy body, weighs 680g, and is equipped with a 10.6-inch display. The processor has two options: ARM architecture and Intel x86. It uses the latest operating systems of the same year, windows RT and windows 8 operating system, equipped with keyboard and bracket.
The new surface tablet starts at $499, which is the same price as the latest iPad, but the memory of the former is twice that of the latter.
For this wave of war operation, apple is naturally not idle.
Cook said that the hybrid product of tablet and laptop (two in one tablet) is equivalent to freezing food first and then heating it, which is a relatively bad thing (domestic saying: put what you take off). The spearhead is also directed at Microsoft.
But this kind of thing was soon beaten in the face.
In 2015, apple officially released the iPad pro. Along with the iPad pro, there was a keyboard designed for Apple's iPad pro and an apple pencil stylus. It can be said that the supporting Apple pencil and smart keyboard are the result of surface force to some extent.
Today, Apple's wonderful control keyboard has been iterated many times and has become one of the most important accessories of Apple's iPad family.
At the same time, Microsoft is not idle and has launched a variety of surface products. Although there are more and more product categories, even surface laptop and surface hub intelligent whiteboard in the form of traditional notebook, two in one products are still the main force of the surface family.
According to the estimate of Gartner, a data agency, Microsoft notebook computers accounted for about 3% of notebook computer shipments in 2020 (mainly two in one surface Series).
Although this share is nothing for manufacturers such as Lenovo, HP and Dell, it is not easy for Microsoft, which has not made much achievements in hardware.
Two in one tablet computer under mobile office is sought after
Since Microsoft launched the surface from "soft" to "hard", there has been a voice of doubt in the market, that is, to destroy the relationship with other OEM manufacturers.
In fact, Microsoft's insistence on surface has obviously benefited PC partners from now on.
In the face of a large group of Windows users, Microsoft's research and development of surface can solve the compatibility problem of software and hardware from the top, so as to solve the problem at the source. At the same time, Microsoft has allowed the concept of two in one tablet to continue and develop.