A senior communications manager of Microsoft Surface, Dan Laycock, said that the iPad Pro is “always going to be a companion device” instead of a full PC.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro was dubbed as a PC replacement. “Why would you buy a PC anymore?” Tim Cook asked during the launch of the device.

To apparently counter Tim Cook’s statement, Laycock noted that at the Consumer Electronic Show 2016 (CES) in Las Vegas, he thinks that "Microsoft really wants you to only carry one device for tablet and PC use, whereas the iPad Pro is always going to be a companion device," notes Trusted Reviews.

Microsoft Surface Pro was first launched in February 2013, claiming that the device is a tablet-cum-laptop. This means the device has a detachable screen and the power of a laptop. However, ZDNet cites that Surface Pro didn’t see good sales until recent years. Meanwhile, Business Insider claims that the sales of the devices increased the second half of 2015.

Last November, Apple released the iPad Pro, targeting creative professionals like graphic designers.

In introducing Pencil for the Surface Pro, Laycock even went on to say that Apple declared a stylus a “failure,” and "[Microsoft is] a huge believer in the pen; we know our customers love it."

According to Laycock, Microsoft Surface Pro runs on Windows 10 while the iPad Pro runs on iOS so both devices cannot be compared as the Surface Pro is a full PC. "We don't see it as a one-to-one comparison, because [the Surface] is a full PC where you're running full apps," Laycock said.

Recently, Microsoft launched Surface Pro 4 and also called it as a “laplet” that sports a larger display at 12.3 inches covered with an all-magnesium unibody casing. The Surface Pro 4 is touted to be the slimmest and thinnest laplet model as compared to Sony’s Xperia Z4 and iPad Air 2. Forbes reports that the device is much more tablet-like.

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