14 DAY TRIAL // Word is that Microsoft is prepping to release the second-generation Surface tablet next month, with sources familiar with the matter revealing a very optimistic plan that should make the tech giant a leader in the tablet industry.
While nothing has been confirmed yet, it seems like Microsoft indeed has very optimistic plans for the new Surface device, as the company has reportedly sent some high-profile executives to Taiwan to hold talks with local manufacturers on the new project.
Even though it was initially said that a manager at the German branch of Microsoft has traveled to Taiwan to purchase $24 million (€18.5 million) worth of tablets, the company quickly denied the reports, claiming that he actually met with suppliers to talk about their joint efforts on bringing more Windows devices to the market.
"The information is not correct at all, unfortunately. There must have been miscommunication or loss of translation,” Thorsten Thomas, a partner account manager at Microsoft Germany, was quoted as saying by Focus Taiwan.
Of course, seeing a German Microsoft executive traveling to Taiwan to discuss the Surface 2.0 project doesn’t make much sense and Steve Ballmer would pretty much decide to do it on his own, but it could after all be a sign that a new Surface tablet is coming.
Insiders have revealed that Microsoft is planning to sell at least 25 million Surface devices by July 2014 and to become the number two provider of tablets in the retail market in fiscal year 2014.
While this is quite an optimistic plan, the tech giant has prepared several new Surface units to achieve this goal, including an 8-inch version of its tablet that should reach the market in the next couple of months.
In addition, the company is working with partners around the world to expand the international availability of the device, with countries such as Saudi Arabia, Columbia, Poland and Turkey expected to start selling the tablets by the end of the year.