Microsoft: Windows 8, Far Better than Apple and Android in the Enterprise

With Apple and Android platforms challenging Microsoft in the enterprise market, it was only a matter of time before a company official stepped in front of the media to defend the products developed by the Redmond-based firm.

Microsoft’s General Manager of Platform Strategy, Tim O’Brien, told V3 that Windows 8 and Windows Phone were both better than Android and Apple products, as they provide IT users with a superior control of the platforms, while also comprising more advanced security and privacy features

“If users are bringing Windows-based devices it puts IT in a much better position to provide enterprise class support and security,” O’Brien explained.

“There's certainly a great deal of interest on the enterprise side [...] as Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 become popular with consumers to the extent consumers will come to work with those devices. This is where iOS and Android are certainly not up to par.”

Windows 8 is an operating system that’s addressed to every single user category, as it steps well beyond the desktop and comes with dedicated builds for mobile phones and tablets.

A recent study revealed that company workers worldwide preferred Windows 8 tablets to iPads, as they provide increased productivity, as well as a number of other features not available on Apple’s very popular device.

Microsoft will launch the new Surface Pro tomorrow, a tablet that will feature the full version of Windows 8 and support for desktop applications.

Specifically aimed at businesses worldwide, the Surface with Windows 8 Pro is expected to replace company laptops, as it’s said to boast the same productivity options as a laptop, but with the portability of a tablet.

The device will be available in two different versions, with 64 GB and 128 GB of storage space, while pricing will begin at $899 (€670) for the entry-level model.