Hardware meets software context
Convergence starts with hardware, but the real work is software meeting context. “Replace your laptop” means files you can reach, input that fits the task, true windowing, sustained performance, and toolchains that match how people actually work. 💻👇
In May 2014 I argued a tablet only earns its place if it beats phone and laptop at specific tasks. I scored web on tablet, media and files on laptop, and communication on phone. That was 2 for iPad, 3 for laptop, 2 for phone. I called Surface Pro 3 the first credible 2-in-1 shot.
Laptop replacement = desktop OS, precise input, sustained thermals. Surface Pro 3 bet on x86 Windows, Type Cover, pen. Power over pure touch. Tradeoff: versatility vs lap use and battery. iPad went touch first with battery life, then added Pro gear, but OS rules still blocked dev/data work.
2014→2025 didn’t land on “one device.” Phablets became normal, yet phone and PC didn’t fuse. We stitched them: Handoff, Continuum, DeX, better external displays, and peripheral-first desks. ARM laptops and NPUs raised battery and on-device ML. I underrated iPadOS gains (USB-C, Files, Stage Manager, pro apps) and overrated how fast Windows tablet UX would improve.
Two questions I’m still chewing on:
- Is “one device” worse than best-in-class devices with great continuity?
- Do NPUs and better virtualization close the gap for mobile-first OSes, or do OS rules stay the moat?
Original 2014 post for context: https://anandchowdhary.com/blog/2014/surface-pro-3