Comment by neogodless | Hacker News Reader

Comment by neogodless | Hacker News Reader

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In the article, the source suggests Microsoft is exploring the idea of designing CPUs that could end up in future Surface devices. Certainly this makes some sense for the Surface Pro X, which is their very unpopular, poor-performing ARM device. And Microsoft has partnered with AMD for lightly customized AMD Ryzen APUs for their Surface Laptop. But Surface devices are a very small slice of Windows devices sold, because they are "premium" devices merely showing off what can be done with some integration between hardware and software. Most Windows computers are sold by HP, Dell, Acer and other smaller players. And most of them will be choosing between AMD and Intel for the next several years, at least, unless someone surprises with a high-performing ARM chip (and Microsoft fixes x86 emulation performance on ARM.)

> And most of them will be choosing between AMD and Intel for the next several years, at least, unless someone surprises with a high-performing ARM chip (and Microsoft fixes x86 emulation performance on ARM.)

Crystal ball tells me that someone will likely be Microsoft. If Microsoft has high performance Surface chips, there is little in the way of them licensing it to OEM partners. Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, etc... won't be able to compete with MS, due to the vertical integration between the Windows operating system and Microsoft silicon.

Microsoft can't do vertical integration right. It's not a part of their DNA.

It certainly didn't seem like it in the Balmer era. Today though? Officw 365, Azure AD, Microsoft (VS LOCAL) Accounts half forced on consumers indicate to me that times might be changing for MS.

I wonder if Microsoft could gain ground on hp/dell etc by offering something new in terms of vendor management,device management, and maintenance. For example by offering laptop's on Azure with next day delivery. Vertical integration could make a lot of sense for that.

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