Microsoft underscored its commitment to the partner ecosystem with new opportunities to drive growth and customer demand at this year's Computex trade fair in Taiwan.

It outlined key areas of focus to inspire customers, increase momentum in the PC market, and spark emerging categories with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.

Microsoft consumer and device sales corporate vice president Nick Parker shared his vision for how new business models scale and expand markets to create a thriving ecosystem.

“Our partner model is unique in the industry as we collaborate, end-to-end, from design, through all phases of the product lifecycle and across consumer and device channels.

Together, we are building new experiences for customers, generating demand and ultimately, creating growth in existing and new categories including Mixed Reality, Internet of Things, and Always Connected PCs with Intel and Qualcomm,” says Parker.

At Microsoft, our success scales with our partners and, as an ecosystem, we reinvent existing markets even as we explore new ones,” said Parker.

New categories and new opportunities

In addition to modern devices from leading partners, new categories include:

·  Mixed reality: Microsoft showcased new, innovative Windows Mixed Reality headset designs from partners like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo. Available later this year, these affordable headsets will utilise the Windows Mixed Reality platform to enable new video, entertainment, social and productivity experiences.

·  Internet of things: Microsoft views IoT end-to-end systems as an opportunity for traditional businesses to enter new markets and adopt new business models leading to new revenue opportunities. Today, Microsoft detailed IoT solutions and customer success stories for the energy, manufacturing and retail sectors.

·  Always connected PCs: There are users that need to be connected to the cloud at all times, leveraging the latest network technology like gigabit LTE and eSIM. Microsoft is collaborating with its ecosystem on a shared vision that starts with a close partnership at the silicon layer with Intel and Qualcomm, and with its mobile operator partners to provide seamless eSIM connectivity. Microsoft device partners including ASUS, HP, Huawei, Lenovo, VAIO, and Xiaomi, are committed to this new category of Always Connected PCs using eSIM technology. In addition, Microsoft announced Always Connected devices will be coming from ASUS, HP and Lenovo, on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. These new devices will feature Windows 10, with always-on LTE connectivity and great battery life.