Microsoft Offers Surface-as-a-Service

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Microsoft presents what it describes as a more flexible model for the sale of hardware at its Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC)-- Surface-as-a-service.

Microsoft SurfaceAs the name might suggest, Surface-as-a-service allows partner to lease Surface hardware and associated cloud software on a subscription-based basis. In Europe the scheme sees launch through ALSO, and involves a Surface tablet bundled with Windows 10, Office 356 and other ISV software.

"This will complete your ability to offer services for cloud, Windows 10, Office 365 and for Surface so you can have one end-to-end holistic offering for your customers," Windows and devices boss Yusuf Medhi says.

In other WPC news, CEO Satya Nadella used his keynote the Hololens augmented/mixed reality headset is now available for partners, before stating such devices are poised to change the industry as we know it.

"One of the things personal computing has always been shaped by is the category creation moments, when input and output have changed. One such moment is upon us now and that is mixed reality. Hololens is available today," Nadella says. "It's brought a new medium, a new paradigm, where for the first time in history we can take the analogue world and superimpose in it digital artefacts to create this mixed reality. You can be everywhere from anywhere and do it in an untethered way. It's the ultimate computer."

Other topics covered by Nadella's keynote include the success of Office 365, Dynamics and Windows 10, as well as emerging technologies such as cognitive services and conversation-as-a-platform.

Go Microsoft WPC 2016

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