In the last month or so, Intel has been taking potshots at Apple and its MacBooks in a series of ad campaigns. Joining in the ‘let’s bash Mac’ campaign is none other than Microsoft. Showcasing its Surface range of devices, Microsoft’s latest short ad takes a dig at Apple.
Posted on Twitter by Microsoft India account, the short ad doesn’t really name Apple or MacBook. However, it compares Surface with another laptop called ‘BackBook’. Not too funny but a clear hint that Microsoft is talking about Apple MacBook.
The ad has two laptops — Surface Pro and ‘BackBook’ — next to each other. The ad is all about showing Surface Pro’s flexibility since it can be detached from the keyboard and can ‘stretch’ and ‘sway’. Since it’s a hybrid 2-in-1 device, Surface Pro can be used in tablet mode as well and can be detached. The MacBook — or rather ‘BackBook’ — doesn’t do any of that. Microsoft is suggesting through the ad that you should ‘Upgrade to Surface’.

Curiously while Microsoft is asking users to upgrade to Surface but perhaps missed out on the fact that the Surface lineup includes devices that don’t really detach or ‘stretch’ and ‘sway’. Not all Surface laptops come with a 2-in-1 form factor. Like the Surface Laptop Go is one such device that is very much like MacBook — at least in terms of the traditional design. This isn’t the first time that Microsoft has taken a dig at Apple without really directly naming its rival.
Meanwhile, Intel CEO explained in an interview why it has been taking jabs at Apple and MacBook.
In an interview with Yahoo! Finance, new Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said that it is down to ‘competitive fun’.“So obviously you’ve seen some of the competitive energies resume because there’s a lot of great innovation to be done, and we haven’t seen PC demand at this level for a decade and a half. The world needs more of that, and there is competitive fun going on with Apple and the Mac ecosystem,” said Gelsinger in the interview.