One-upped by a dinosaur

Follow Us Get the newsletter Hi everyone. Mark here. The definition of innovation? "The introduction of something new," according to Merriam-Webster. That word adorned the invitation to Apple Inc.'s big annual product event last month. But it didn't show off any really new hardware. Another company just did, though. Microsoft Corp., long mocked as a consumer-tech dinosaur, ushered in a new type of mobile computer on Wednesday. At an event in New York City, the company took the wraps off a foldable, dual-screen handheld device called the Surface Duo. It also showed off a dual-screen tablet.  It's unclear how well the Duo will do, or even if Microsoft will try to sell the to the masses. The company doesn't want to call it a phone, suggesting it's not going to push too hard to get back into the giant smartphone market. The Duo runs Android, not Microsoft's own failed smartphone operating system. That means it has access to Google's Play app store, giving it a chance, depending on the price and how much Microsoft spends on marketing. The Duo won't launch until next fall, making this early launch about as un-Apple as it gets. Even so, Microsoft delivered a textbook definition innovation on Wednesday. It's been about five years since Apple launched its last major new product, the Apple Watch. Apple fans have been clamoring for the next big thing, whether that's an Apple car, an augmented-reality headset, or a foldable iPhone. They will have to keep waiting. How long is still anyone's guess. It's even possible Apple's AR headset beats Microsoft's new toy to the market next year. I'd be surprised, though.--Mark Gurman And here's what you need to know in global technology news: Silicon Valley doesn't like IPOs. VCs, founders and other techies gathered at a private event this week to push an alternative route to public markets.  The new iPhones will be brimming with Apple's own pre-installed apps. That's a challenge for outside developers -- and drawing scrutiny from regulators. Apple is already putting some fixes in place.  Samsung Electronics Co. bows out of China amid the trade war. Not that it made many phones outside of South Korea to begin with. Google adds new privacy controls for Maps, YouTube and the Google Assistant. Sponsored Content by Lacework Containers across cloud environments like AWS, Azure, GCP enable agile deployment capabilities but has also created security challenges at the same time. Learn how to identify vulnerabilities & misconfigurations for effective container security in a cloud environment.     Like Bloomberg's Fully Charged? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal. Find out more about how the Terminal delivers information and analysis that financial professionals can't find anywhere else. Learn more.   You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Fully Charged newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022