Confidential Microsoft marketing slides show that the company will focus on convincing consumers that Windows 10 PCs are better than Apple computers. The primary message: "New Windows PCs DO what Macs (& your old PCs) don't".
The slides clearly show that Microsoft wants to make the PC market grow. The company hopes to do so by making PCs safer and more secure, more productive, more personal and by releasing modern devices.
We can also make up from the slides that Microsoft's marketing has decided to focus on different audiences in each quarter of this year. In the current quarter (Q4 2016) the focus audience is "Apple at Risk & Gamers".
This is inline with the Surface Studio released earlier this week. After the release, an increasing number of tech journalists and industry insiders called Microsoft the new Apple.
Microsoft also outlines some strategies for some important times during the year in the slides.
During last Back to School campaign the Redmond software allegedly focussed on the performance of Windows 10 PCs vs Apple products in the same price tier.
In the upcoming Holiday Season we should see Microsoft promoting 2 in 1 PCs with the Surface Pen and Office while during New Year the focus will be on Windows Hello, Microsoft's authentication platform and security. During the Dads and Grads season the focus will be on gaming and game PCs but also on Cortana.
Microsoft's main method of competing with Apple will be so-called 'hero devices'. These devices should have 'cool designs'. These could be devices that are ultra-slim, have a borderless display and high resolution screens. There will be 4 devices that Microsoft will globally market as 'hero device' to compete with Apple, while local Microsoft branches also can select the hero devices they think is suitable for their region.
It appears that Microsoft is awake and ready to take the market again. Apple will have to innovate if they want to compete with Microsoft, they will likely no longer be able to just benefit from being a 'premium brand'.
With its Surface products Microsoft tries to show OEMs how it's done and the company has to hope the OEMs will follow their example.
