Oliver Ahrens, Acer's senior VP and president for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said Microsoft was trying to copy some of Apple's strategy, but he was doubtful it would succeed.

"I don't think it will be successful because you cannot be a hardware player with two products," he said in an interview, adding that the former darling of the tech sector would also have to adapt its brand to compete with Apple.

"Microsoft is working with two dozen PC vendors worldwide, including the local guys, whereas Apple is alone, it can more or less do what it wants," he said. "Microsoft is a component of a PC system. A very important component but still a component.