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WhenMicrosoft first unveiled Copilot+ PCs back in May, I was excited.
Microsoft wasforced to rip Recall out of Copilot+ PCsat the very last second.
Qualcomm appears to be enjoying some exclusive time with Copilot+ features.
Now, Apple Intelligence has launched on Mac, beating Windows to the punch in the AI space.
Qualcomm’s exclusivity window?
That’s not to say Copilot+ PCs shipped with no AI features at all, because they did.
Recall was announced on stage to much backlash.
However, the lineup of next-gen AI experiences at launch was pitiful.
However, curiously, Microsoft has kept Intel and AMD from enjoying any Copilot+ experiences.
I know for a fact that all of the Copilot+ features are available on all architectures internally at Microsoft.
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 11 was a flagship product for Copilot+, but its AI “features” leave a lot to be desired.
The company has just refused to release the bits.
Everything else would have to wait until November.
Who even knows, because Microsoft hasn’t said.
Apple Intelligence on an iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Microsoft had promised the feature was secure, but it was quickly discovered to be anything but.
Microsoft eventually came out and said itwould address these concernsbefore Copilot+ PCs launched on June 18.
As you could imagine, Qualcomm and OEMs were not happy about this.
The Recall debacle itself also did a lot to damage the reputation of Copilot+ PCs.
The backlash forced Microsoft to change this.
After Recall was delayed, Microsoft went silent on the feature.
October came and went, and Microsoft said and released nothing.
And now, Apple Intelligence is shipping, beating Microsoft to the punch.
They finally caught up to Copilot+ PCs in setting 16GB RAM and 256GB storage as a baseline.
What has surprised me is that Apple Intelligence is launching ahead of any real Copilot+ PC features.
Meanwhile, Copilot+ PCs are still waiting for their first big AI feature to land.
Microsoft has made a habit of announcing features ahead of the competition but delivering them last.
That, ultimately, is the real blow here.
2024 is no longer the year of the AI PC.
Lessons to be learned
I think everyone involved has learned something from the launch of Copilot+ PCs.
Microsoft has learned not to build privacy-related features behind closed doors without first conducting public testing.
Intel and AMD have learned that Microsoft will sideline them if something better comes along.
Ultimately, the launch of Copilot+ PCs hasn’t been smooth.
However, there are morsels of hope here.
Copilot+ PCs so far have been great from a performance and efficiency standpoint.
The cycle rinses and repeats, and obviously, competition is good.
