14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is reportedly getting ready to debut the next-generation Surface tablet as soon as June, but the company has apparently prepared a much more ambitious plan.
Paul Thurrott of WinSuperSite.com writes that Microsoft wants fiscal year 2014, which starts on July 1, to bring a significant change in the way it tackles the tablet industry.
Citing internal sources, the report states that Microsoft wants to sell no less than 25 million tablets by July 1, 2014 and to become the number two provider of tablets in the retail sector.
At the same time, the tech giant wants to make the most of the educational industry by bidding for every single opportunity in the market.
The interesting part is that Microsoft wants to expand the Surface family and make it successful with what seems to be a pretty overwhelming budget: $4.4 billion.
In addition to new Surface tablets, most likely 8-inch models that could go on sale in the coming months, Microsoft is also looking into ways to release its devices in new markets, such as Columbia, Poland, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, and Malaysia.
As far as the company itself is concerned, no details have been provided, but if this report is true, expect new Surface tablets to hit the market in the coming months.
If Microsoft's goal is indeed to take over the tablet market by July 1, 2014, the company may not release just a single device, but several new ones before this deadline.
Previous reports have already indicated that Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer has high expectations from the new Surface and according to companies taking care of Surface 2.0 production, the Redmond-based tech giant expect to sell many more tablets by year-end.
Again, keep in mind that these are all rumors, so let's take all of them with a pinch of salt until Microsoft comes forth and confirms them.