How Apple lost last week to Microsoft

Washington

LAST week, Apple and Microsoft had duelling product launch events. And in the tech version of this "Who wore it better?" contest, the winner seems to be: Microsoft.

That's right. At least in the microcosm of last week, Microsoft has made Apple look like the square, after lifting the veil on a 28-inch touchscreen all-in-one desktop called the Surface Studio that immediately had tech enthusiasts drooling. Over a desktop.

One could argue that this is an apples-to-oranges comparison. Microsoft, while on the rise again, still benefits from lower expectations than Apple. Introducing a new product, such as the Studio, is almost always going to be more exciting than upgrading an old line. But there is a common thread here, which we can use to analyse how these companies are thinking about th…