Apple and Microsoft are involved in a battle for controlling a big chunk of the tablet market. For Microsoft, the goal is reportedly to make their tablets integrate better with PCs, while Apple seems to be planning to reach out to the enterprise market dominated by Microsoft.
For Apple, the stakes are high. According to the Cupertino-based company's Q2 2015 earnings report, as reported by Mashable, iPad sales for the 2nd quarter of 2015 peaked at $12.62 million whereas in the same period last year, sales reached $16.32 million. Creating an iPad that has more productivity features for professionals can possibly fix the sales slump.
Apple's Force Touch technology first seen on the Apple Watch allows users to better control the screen surface as it can detect varying pressures. This technology, when adapted to an iPad, can have enormous applications for productivity. There are those who are hoping for such stylus technology to be officially used by Apple.
The late Apple founder Steve Jobs was reportedly never a fan of the stylus — the iPad was designed to be used without it. However, rumors have surfaced about stylus tech to be integrated with Apple tablets, especially with the possible launching of the rumored iPad Pro. Partnered with Force Touch technology and coupled with a bigger screen, an iPad that has the full function of a stylus pen can change the device dramatically.
Microsoft, on the other hand, just bought Israel-based company N-trig for $30 million, as revealed in a report by Computerworld. The acquisition is strategic as Microsoft reportedly wants to use the company's advanced stylus technology to improve the usability of its Outlook and Office applications through handwriting recognition. With N-trig's technology, future devices such as the upcoming Surface Pro 4 can provide a more natural interaction with the tablet or PC, making these devices more useful.
