Concept videos are important. They are not saying 2019 will be exactly like this, but they are looking at potential use cases for various interfaces etcetera. When they come up with a idea they particularly like, they don't sit on their hands for ten years. They look at their idea of the future, then they start taking the best parts of that idea and implementing it in the products they are creating.
Since that video they have released or announced two products with the metro interface (Windows 8 & Windows Phone 7). Microsoft also has announced a version of the metro interface for the game console (Xbox 360). The part of the video where the guy takes a photo of the display and transfers it to a page is already possible in a less exciting capacity on WP. Take a photo of something, and it instantly shows up on your skydrive account. The children communicating through the wall display is a possibility today, but less impressive, with the use of a Kinect and a projector/screen. Microsoft actually has developed wall displays in their research division. They also announced yesterday that they will be partnering with a bunch of companies to provide the Kinect in enterprise environments.
Every good microsoft product already has implementations of an idea that is in their concept videos. The average person doesn't go watch their concept videos, so it has no negative effect on their image. Also, thinking of the future does not have to be a distraction from the present. Why is Apple doing better than Microsoft with consumers? They are not associated with viruses, IT departments, ugly products, and office suites. Microsoft = Painful & Not-Cool. Apple also gives their employees more freedom and they push products out when the market is ready, but only when they are ready for them. If Windows Phone came out instead of the iPhone, when it was announced and released, WP would have failed completely.
But why do they need to make a video to then make the products? How does a concept video help in product development?
You say that they are "important" but you don't say how or why - you're listing a bunch of stuff MS has done since/alongside the video. But I don't see where the proof is that a video like this was necessary.
As a student (in user experience/computer engineering) I enjoy these concept videos, and they help me get inspiration for future projects. Companies that release them are much more likely to be viewed in a positive light by me, and I'd much rather work for a company with a creative mindset than some company that I feel is behind. This is a great way to communicate with future employees.
It's also an inspiration for the various design challenges/competitions that some of those companies do.
By accomplishments, do you mean Apple's current products? Of course. If you mean Apple's concept videos - I don't know, since I haven't seen any.
Concept videos usually aren't realistic, or even preferable, since they have to convey what the technology can do simply through video. In reality, it'd probably be more discrete and easier to use. The advantage concept videos have is that they simply demonstrate possible uses of possible technology.
That triggers a few questions if you're creative: Is this possible to achieve with today's technology? What problems would things demonstrated in the video solve? Is it possible to solve the same problems, or sub-problems, with today's technology? Can I develop this concept further, take it in a more useful/fun/futuristic direction?
They haven't introduced anything new, they've taken ideas that have been around forever and made some high-quality versions of them. Big deal. How excited can you get about that?
Meanwhile, Microsoft gives us things like Kinect which I find much, much more compelling than anything Apple's ever come up with.
The idea of tablets and portable devices has been around since the fifties, they didn't invent multi-touch and they built OS X on the back of Unix. How am I wrong?
Since that video they have released or announced two products with the metro interface (Windows 8 & Windows Phone 7). Microsoft also has announced a version of the metro interface for the game console (Xbox 360). The part of the video where the guy takes a photo of the display and transfers it to a page is already possible in a less exciting capacity on WP. Take a photo of something, and it instantly shows up on your skydrive account. The children communicating through the wall display is a possibility today, but less impressive, with the use of a Kinect and a projector/screen. Microsoft actually has developed wall displays in their research division. They also announced yesterday that they will be partnering with a bunch of companies to provide the Kinect in enterprise environments.
Every good microsoft product already has implementations of an idea that is in their concept videos. The average person doesn't go watch their concept videos, so it has no negative effect on their image. Also, thinking of the future does not have to be a distraction from the present. Why is Apple doing better than Microsoft with consumers? They are not associated with viruses, IT departments, ugly products, and office suites. Microsoft = Painful & Not-Cool. Apple also gives their employees more freedom and they push products out when the market is ready, but only when they are ready for them. If Windows Phone came out instead of the iPhone, when it was announced and released, WP would have failed completely.