Housekeeping skills were Microsoft, Google master, Apple lost its competitive edge-Microsoft, Google-IT information

According to foreign media reports, last week, IT is truly hilarious, Microsoft and Apple have organized a new product launch. Microsoft on Wednesday released a 28-inch machine Surface Studio--can transform into the drawing board; Apple new MacBook Pro laptops with Touch Bar--on Thursday to play a different role according to the running application. Just 2 weeks ago, another Silicon Valley Giants Google Pixel Smartphone preinstalled software Google has by far the best artificial intelligence Assistant.

In addition to compete directly with their customers, but there is nothing special about Microsoft, Google is pushing new products. Besides the iPhone almost all other smart phones running Android software. With previous Nexus phone – the majority of manufacturing and marketing by third parties, including Huawei, LG and HTC is responsible for, Pixel cell phone Google take care of all the work.

Microsoft and Google are similar to all other than Mac PC running Windows operating system. Surface in out software Studio is Microsoft advantage, transboundary areas of hardware a try.

For Google and Microsoft, the cross-border impact of hardware is much more far-reaching. Which Intel started selling its own brand notebook to provoke similar to Lenovo, HP and Dell. Intel would dare to do so. So, what exactly is what made Google and Microsoft break with tradition, and turn risk into their most important customers are not familiar with the hardware?

From closed to open and to close

When disruptive technologies in research, Harvard Business School professor Clayton m. Christensen (Clayton Christensen) based on the observation of the Smartphone market, Nokia, BlackBerry and other early pioneers to pursue proprietary system, largely cut off from the outside world, makes it impossible for outside developers to their platform development and application. While the iPhone is a closed proprietary systems, but it is open to third party developers. Android idea was from start to finish: the device is open and modular.

Open and modular design is an advantage, so that they can focus on one aspect of the product, and to complete other aspects of the work to other companies. This is as a latecomer, Android Smartphone market share beyond the reasons for Apple's iOS. By giving away Android, Google attracts giant Samsung, Huawei and HTC for their support, thus becoming in smartphones and a giant Apple rival. In the Windows PC world, Intel chips, Dell computer, Photoshop and other software developed by Microsoft Windows,Adobe.

Microsoft on Wednesday to promote Surface Studio main features is to visual artists, architects and professional designers provide immersive computing experience. Designers can lie on the drawing on the screen, like the drawing lying on the drawing board. Surface Dial peripheral trigger is using application menus, for example, users in the use of Surface when Pen drawing, it can be used to adjust the brush's color, shape, and transparency.

However, this is not a new idea. For example, Lenovo in 2013 to launch Horizon touchscreen tablet computers with similar characteristics. When used as a Tablet, a moondial will appear on the screen-shaped console, easy for users to interact with the device. Horizon has other entity parts: game rocker dice.

But the Horizon never succeed. On one hand, this is the result of weak implementation of Lenovo, the Horizon games. But there are deeper reasons for the failure of the Horizon.

Provides seamless interaction requires deep integration between hardware and software. Use the standard features provided by Windows 8, Lenovo has tried. By contrast, Microsoft has taken measures to reduce the delays, Microsoft's hardware business Supremo panuosi·pannayi (Panos Panay) says, "users do not feel use a pen to write on paper drawing differences from using a digital pen to draw on the screen. In these devices, the boundaries have blurred between analog and digital. ”

A user think Surface Dial function better. To provide this kind of functionality would require accessories designed to fully consider deep integration with Microsoft operating systems. For Lenovo, doing so not only is expensive, and it is the lack of relevant technologies.

This is the industry's shift from open and modular closed or proprietary reasons. Closed and proprietary system offers breakthrough performance in some areas. The 1990, sharing services Napster and MP3 players in the wild growth stage, the user experience is very poor, transferring music files is extremely difficult music sharing's legality. Apple software, hardware and content in one iPod after consumers fully enjoy the advantages of digital music devices. Now want to use Microsoft Surface Studio to achieve the same purpose.

From this point of view, it's easy to understand why Google hardware as a strategic priority.

Lost computer and smart phone

Tried Pixel people note that it feels similar with other flagship smartphones. Noteworthy is its super fast charging speed--charge for 15 minutes you can get 7 hours of battery life. However, Pixel lack of Apple iPhone 7 waterproof characteristics and stereo sound. All in all, Pixel hardware does not stand out. It with other smartphone really the difference reflected in other aspects: integrating a strong artificial intelligence technology.

Pixel comes pre-loaded with Microsoft and Google Assistant--Cortana, Siri Apple or Amazon Alexa is similar. However, since Google has collected enormous amounts of information, providing search services for the past 18 years has been parsed data, Google Assistant "IQ" seems to be far higher than competitors.

More users use Google's services, Google more smart Assistant. Google Assistant can alert the user if the next few years for friends buying birthday gifts, automatic user-like restaurant reservations, people should not be surprised.

In the long run, input devices will be eliminated. Tablets, smartphones and wearable devices, will only help the user interface artificial intelligence into people's lives. Earlier this month, Google also introduced a smart speaker products like the Amazon Echo Google Home.

This is Microsoft earlier this year for $ 26.2 billion reasons to buy LinkedIn. Microsoft may not like Google and Facebook have had a lot of consumer behavior data. However, if Microsoft can use LinkedIn data relating to the work of the people, developing artificial intelligence-driven enterprise solutions, will create next-generation Office and Outlook.

What remained from Apple?

These are not good news for Apple. Apple's traditional strengths--integrate software, hardware, and industrial design, have been others. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence will become increasingly important. Apple's innovations are mainly embodied in hardware rather than software or data. In order to protect user privacy, Apple's Chief Executive, Tim Cook (Tim Cook) announced that they would not use user data. Data is limited to users of Apple's artificial intelligence using the device instead of a cloud computing environment. This means that, in theory, your data is still firmly in control in the hands of the user.

While this is a commendable attitude, but the strategy also means Apple in the artificial intelligence behind Google, Microsoft and Facebook. From consumer electronics to enterprise software, artificial intelligence is a powerful weapon for companies competing. Borrow the concept of evolutionary biology, we now find ourselves in artificial intelligence solution "the Cambrian explosion" era. New products emerging every day, with Intel-Windows duopoly in the PC industry's rapid demise, changes across the entire PC industry. Transboundary hardware industry software companies, hardware vendors will produce niche products.

Apple is the biggest risk facing, when other manufacturers have integrated artificial intelligence technology in the core product, Apple might lose the AI war. For ordinary consumers, the current IT industry surging marks an exciting new era is coming.

看家本领被微软、谷歌掌握，苹果公司失去竞争优势 - 微软,谷歌 - IT资讯

据外媒报道，过去的一周，IT界煞是热闹，微软和苹果先后举办了新产品发布会。微软周三发布了28英寸的一体机Surface Studio——能变身为制图板；苹果周四发布的新版MacBook Pro笔记本带有Touch Bar——能根据运行的应用发挥不同作用。就在2周前，另外一家硅谷巨头谷歌发布了Pixel智能手机，预装有迄今为止最好的人工智能软件Google Assistant。

除与它们各自的客户直接竞争外，微软、谷歌推新产品没有什么特别之处。除iPhone外的几乎所有其他智能手机都运行Android软件。与之前的Nexus手机不同——大多数制造和营销工作由包括华为、LG和HTC在内的第三方负责，Pixel手机的所有工作都由谷歌打理。

微软的情况与谷歌类似，除Mac外的所有PC都运行Windows操作系统。Surface Studio是微软在摆脱软件优势、跨界硬件领域的一次尝试。

对于谷歌和微软来说，跨界硬件的影响要深远得多。这与英特尔突然开始销售自主品牌笔记本，从而激怒联想、惠普和戴尔相似。英特尔绝对不敢这么做。那么，究竟是什么促使谷歌和微软突破传统，冒着与最重要客户翻脸的风险进入他们并不熟悉的硬件领域呢？

从封闭到开放再到封闭

在研究颠覆性技术时，哈佛商学院教授克莱顿·克里斯滕森(Clayton Christensen)通过对智能手机市场观察发现，诺基亚、黑莓等早期先驱追求专有体系，基本上与外部世界隔绝，使得外部开发者无法为它们的平台开发应用。虽然iPhone是一个封闭的专有系统，但它向第三方开发者开放。Android自始至终的理念都是：设备将是开放和模块化的。

开放和模块化设计的一个优势是，使公司能专注于产品的一个方面，而把其他方面的工作交由其他公司来完成。这也是作为后来者，Android智能手机市场份额能超越苹果iOS的原因。通过免费提供Android，谷歌吸引三星、华为和HTC巨头为自己助阵，从而成为在智能手机领域可以与苹果分庭抗礼的一家巨头。在Windows PC世界，英特尔生产芯片，戴尔生产计算机，微软开发Windows，Adobe开发Photoshop等软件。

微软周三宣扬的Surface Studio主要特性是能向视觉艺术工作者、建筑师和职业设计人员提供沉浸式计算体验。设计师可以趴在屏幕上画图，就像趴在制图板上绘图一样。Surface Dial外设能触发正在使用的应用功能菜单，例如，用户在使用Surface Pen绘图时，它能用来调校画笔的颜色、形状和透明度。

然而，这并非什么新创意。例如，联想在2013年就尝试推出具有相似特性的Horizon触摸屏平板计算机。作为平板使用时，屏幕上会显示一个月晷形状的控制台，方便用户与设备交互。Horizon还有其他实体配件：游戏摇杆、电子骰子等。

但Horizon从未获得成功。一方面，这是联想执行不力的结果，使得Horizon沦为游戏机。但是，Horizon的失败还有更深层次原因。

提供无缝的交互特性要求硬件和软件间的深度整合。利用Windows 8当时提供的标准特性，联想已经尽力了。相比之下，微软则采取措施降低延迟，微软硬件业务掌门帕诺斯·潘纳伊(Panos Panay)说，“用户感觉不到使用笔在纸上写画与使用数字笔在屏幕上写画之间的差别。在这些设备上，模拟和数字之间的界线已经模糊。”

一名用户认为Surface Dial的功能更出色。要提供这样的功能，就要求配件在设计时就充分考虑与微软操作系统的深度整合。对于联想来说，这样做不仅代价高昂，而且它也缺乏相关技术。

这也是业界由开放和模块化转向封闭和专有的原因。封闭和专有系统能在某些方面提供突破性的性能。1990年代，Napster分享服务和MP3播放器处于野蛮增长阶段，用户体验相当差，传输音乐文件异常困难，音乐分享的合法性受到质疑。苹果推出集软件、硬件和内容于一体的iPod后，消费者才充分享受到数字化音乐播放设备的优势。微软现在要利用Surface Studio实现同样目的。

从这个角度看，就很容易理解谷歌把硬件看作战略重点的原因了。

消失的计算机和智能手机

试用过Pixel的人都注意到，它给人的感觉与其他旗舰智能手机相似。值得关注的是其超快的充电速度——充电15分钟即可获得7小时电池续航时间。不过，Pixel缺乏苹果iPhone 7的防水和立体声音响特性。总而言之，Pixel在硬件上并未做到鹤立鸡群。它与其他智能手机真正的不同之处体现在其他方面：整合有强大的人工智能技术。

Pixel预装有Google Assistant——与微软Cortana、苹果Siri或亚马逊Alexa相似。但是，由于谷歌收集了相当庞大数量的信息、过去18年来为提供搜索服务一直在解析数据，Google Assistant“智商”似乎远高于竞争对手。

使用谷歌旗下服务的用户越多，Google Assistant就越聪明。如果未来数年Google Assistant能提醒用户为好友购买生日礼物、自动在用户喜欢的餐馆订餐，人们不应当感到意外。

从长期来看，输入设备将被淘汰。平板电脑、智能手机和可穿戴设备，将只是帮助人工智能走进人们生活的用户界面。本月早些时候，谷歌还推出了与亚马逊Echo相似的智能音箱产品Google Home。

这也是微软今年早些时候斥资262亿美元收购LinkedIn的原因。微软可能不像谷歌和Facebook那样掌握有大量消费者行为数据。但是，如果微软能利用LinkedIn掌握的与人们工作有关的数据，开发人工智能驱动的企业解决方案，可能将催生新一代Office和Outlook。

苹果还剩下啥？

这些对于苹果来说都不是好消息。苹果的传统优势——整合软件、硬件和工业设计，已经被其他厂商学去。同时，人工智能将日趋重要。苹果的创新主要体现在硬件而非软件或数据上。为了保护用户隐私，苹果首席执行官蒂姆·库克(Tim Cook)宣布不会利用用户数据。苹果人工智能使用的数据局限于用户设备而非云计算环境中。这意味着，从理论上说，数据仍然牢牢控制在用户手中。

虽然这是一种值得赞赏的态度，但这一策略也意味着苹果在人工智能方面落后于谷歌、微软和Facebook。从消费电子到企业办公软件，人工智能是各家公司彼此竞争的有力武器。借用进化生物学的概念，我们目前处于人工智能解决方案的“寒武纪生命大爆发”时期。新产品每天都会涌现出来，随着英特尔-Windows双寡头垄断在PC产业的快速消亡，变革席卷整个PC产业。软件公司跨界硬件产业，硬件厂商将生产小众产品。

苹果面临的最大风险是，当其他厂商纷纷在核心产品中整合人工智能技术时，苹果可能输掉人工智能大战。对于普通消费者来说，当前IT产业的风起云涌标志着令人激动的新时代即将来临。