Analyst: Olivier Blanchard
Publication Date: September 20, 2024
Document #: MCNOB202409
What Is Covered in This Article:
- Overview of “Aura Edition” features just unveiled by Lenovo and Intel at the Lenovo Innovation World 2024 event in Berlin
- Silicon diversity’s impact on new differentiation opportunities
- Will Qualcomm and AMD do something similar?
- Will other PC OEMs be prompted to do the same?
The News: At the Lenovo Innovation World 2024 event just ahead of the IFA show in Berlin, Lenovo announced the newest additions to its commercial and consumer laptop portfolios – additions to the ever-expanding Lenovo Copilot+ AI PC portfolio. While the laptops themselves were the stars of the event, the announcement of two “Aura Edition” laptops caught my attention.
“Aura Edition” is the result of a special partnership between Lenovo and Intel, which infuses flagship-tier laptops with exclusive features that set them apart from not only every other Lenovo Copilot+ PC but also every other Intel-powered Copilot+ PC. This unique approach to differentiation in an ecosystem that still struggles to define itself clearly for users is worthy of attention, as it may give us hints at the future of differentiation between PC OEMs and their silicon partners in the Copilot+ PC ecosystem.
Intel and Lenovo’s “Aura Edition” Partnership Brings Usefully Differentiated Features to AI PCs
Analyst Take: The introduction of Lenovo’s unique differentiator for its premium Intel Core Ultra Copilot+ PCs, dubbed “Lenovo Aura Edition,” is the result of a multi-year collaboration with Intel and feedback from more than 10,000 users around the world.
“Aura Edition” laptops come to users with an exclusive set of AI-enabled features unique to Lenovo and only available on Intel’s new Lunar Lake Core Ultra 9 laptops. These features, also called “Smart Modes,” adapt to user needs by dynamically adjusting performance and system settings, providing optimal conditions for any activity. Here is an overview:
- Attention Mode: When productivity is paramount, Attention Mode allows users to specifically block distracting websites so they can focus on the task at hand.
- Wellness: Includes eye wellness and posture warning features that fight off fatigue and remind users to take breaks, helping keep eye health and posture at top of mind when they are in the zone.
- Collaboration Tools: A suite of settings designed to enhance video call experiences, including low-light enhancement, virtual presenter, and background blur, that increase clarity and comfort when working together with others.
- Shield Mode: Focuses on safeguarding privacy with features such as privacy alerts, privacy guard, and auto prompt VPN to help ensure safety and security when working with sensitive information.
- Battery optimizations: When computing away from a power outlet, battery life is paramount. Users have rapid access to power settings to help optimize battery life and performance, maximizing the time between charges.
- Smart Share: Enables seamless AI-driven image sharing between smartphones and laptops. Users can effortlessly tap a supported smartphone on the screen’s edge, prompting the laptop to automatically launch the Smart Share app on both devices, allowing for a simple drag-and-drop transfer of recent photos (up to 45). The feature, which leverages Intel Unison, supports both Android and IOS platforms.
- Smart Care: Offers real-time support and troubleshooting by real-life Lenovo technicians, accessible both via PC and phone. Via Lenovo’s Premium Care Service, users can live chat or call support for assistance that also offers concierge level support.
Why This Kind of Differentiation Matters
At first glance, “Aura Edition” laptops could be mistaken for a clever little gimmick to prop up a couple of Lenovo premium-tier laptops, but there’s more to it than that.
First, it creates a unique differentiator for Lenovo in that price tier. From a marketing standpoint, that is exactly the kind of thing that Lenovo’s product marketing team needs to be doing right now: Creating a unique value proposition and creating more clarity around Lenovo’s unique value in the Copilot+ Ecosystem. Why? Because any way that Lenovo can make its Copilot+ PCs stand out from rivals HP, Dell, Samsung, Acer, ASUS, and Microsoft increases its chance of landing more market share.
One of my concerns as Copilot+ PCs have started to roll out has been that aside from brand loyalty and preference (which includes aesthetics, weight, ports and screen specs), the performance difference between comparable Copilot+ PCs from different PC brands is negligible. Copilot+ PCs powered by the same Lunar Lake Core Ultra, Ryzen AI, or Snapdragon X processors, and equipped with equivalent hardware, can be expected to deliver essentially the same homogeneous experiences. While that can be a positive for Windows 11 users who need predictability across the Copilot+ ecosystem, especially within their chosen processor lane, it doesn’t give PC brands a lot of competitive differentiation and value-add runway. What Lenovo and Intel created here shows us how that kind of runway can be built.
Lenovo vs Other Copilot+ PC Brands
“Aura Edition” establishes a new value-add for some flagship Lenovo laptops that could be the difference between a purchase or a pass, and that’s just good marketing. But given how clever and simple this is, I suspect that other PC OEMs may feel inspired to respond with exclusive value-adds of their own, potentially kicking off a ripple effect of brand differentiation across the Copilot+ ecosystem. For now though, advantage Lenovo.
Intel vs AMD and Qualcomm
“Aura Edition” also positions Intel’s new Lunar Lake Core Ultra processors as flagship-tier processors. Again, this is good marketing: Immediately attach your new product to exclusive flagship/premium experiences. This isn’t to say that Ryzen AI and Snapdragon X processors couldn’t deliver exclusive features if they wanted to. It’s just that Intel, in partnership with Lenovo, is hitting the market with this premium, exclusive feature set that its rivals didn’t. This elevates the Lunar Lake Core Ultra processor in the eyes of PC shoppers and provides additional incentives for PC buyers to choose laptops powered by that processor instead of all other options, including AMD and Qualcomm’s own flagship processor options.
Flagship+ Laptops vs All Other Flagship Laptops
On yet a third level, the value-add of “Aura Edition” laptops sends a signal to AI PC shoppers that jumping up to the flagship tier might be worth the extra spend, which could give sales of Aura Edition laptops a boost that they might have otherwise not had. Time will tell if the strategy will be successful, but the attempt is notable regardless.
Where Could Lenovo Go from Here?
If the effort is successful by any measure – market share growth and/or outsized interest in “Aura Edition” laptops and features – I can imagine a scenario in which Lenovo could partner with Qualcomm and AMD to create alternate versions of Aura Edition laptops that capitalize on those processors’ unique advantages to deliver entirely separate tracks of value-add features: “Snapdragon [insert branding here] Edition” and “Ryzen [insert branding here] Edition” Copilot+ PCs with their own unique AI-enable features. Lenovo could (and probably should) build on this opportunity to further differentiate itself from competitors.
Added bonus: The more Lenovo ties unique types of Copilot+ experiences to specific processor brands, the more clarity PC shoppers will have on the advantages that each processor “lane” brings to their world, both on the consumer and the commercial sides of the segment.
Where Could Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD Go from Here?
Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD could replicate Lenovo’s “Aura Edition” model with every PC OEM, either with across-the-board flagship-tier experiences only available on their platforms or with exclusive feature sets unique to each PC brand. Pros of doing this: More differentiation could result in more diverse feature sets that drive purchasing dollars toward the most competitive or attractive offerings. Cons of doing this: it would take a lot of resources to pull it off, and platform vendors such as AMD and Qualcomm may not be interested in going down endless rabbit holes of exclusive feature sets and granular differentiation that could quickly become convoluted, unmanageable, and even counterproductive.
Intel, for its part, appears to have decided that attaching its new Lunar Lake Core Ultra processors to unique, exclusive features is an effective way of positioning its processors at the top of the ecosystem. Given how many questions about timing, performance, and quality control surrounded the Lunar Lake launch, I believe this was 100% the right call for Intel. The risk-to-reward equation was a no-brainer, and finding an eager partner in Lenovo for this particular marketing exercise was also a good way of mitigating risk and maximizing marketing impact for both partners.
It also sends the message to the market that expecting more from these platforms should be the new normal in the age of AI PCs, particularly as the Copilot+ ecosystem hasn’t yet figured out how to convert AI-enabled UX into must-have features.
Where Could Lenovo’s PC Competitors Go from Here?
Given the value to preference and purchase intent that clear differentiation and value add bring to any product marketing equation, I suspect that Lenovo’s competitors are paying attention to its Aura Edition play and at least considering ways of applying its logic to their Copilot+ product roadmaps in some way. Perhaps with Intel, perhaps with AMD, perhaps with Qualcomm, perhaps on select models…the specifics are likely to vary between them, but one thing is certain: Any PC OEM currently looking at ways of articulating some kind of differentiation and value-add for their products in the Copilot+ AI PC ecosystem, and leveraging their three core silicon partners to do so, now has a blueprint to achieve exactly that.
In Conclusion
Will Lenovo and Intel’s “Aura Edition” model trigger a tide of copycat exclusive feature-set offerings across the Copilot+ PC ecosystem? It’s too soon to tell. But I suspect that there’s the kernel of a strategy there, yes, and that we will begin to see more manifestations of that motion turn up in the coming year, especially as competition for market share between AI PC OEMs and their silicon partners starts to heat up.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
Other insights from The Futurum Group:
Lenovo Picks Up Copilot+ Momentum with Consumer PC Releases
Lenovo Innovation World 2024 Launch New Professional AI PCs
Does Intel Entering the Copilot+ PC Ecosystem Late Really Matter?
Author Information
Olivier Blanchard has extensive experience managing product innovation, technology adoption, digital integration, and change management for industry leaders in the B2B, B2C, B2G sectors, and the IT channel. His passion is helping decision-makers and their organizations understand the many risks and opportunities of technology-driven disruption, and leverage innovation to build stronger, better, more competitive companies.
