The tablet is no longer manufactured, Microsoft confirms

Jan 28, 2015 10:50 GMT  ·  By
This is the Surface 2, the second Windows RT-powered tablet in Microsoft's lineup
   This is the Surface 2, the second Windows RT-powered tablet in Microsoft's lineup

Microsoft's Surface 2 tablet will no longer be available in stores across the world, as the company has stopped manufacturing the device in order to focus exclusively on Pro models.

The Surface 2 is the second and the last tablet version designed by Microsoft and powered by the infamous Windows RT operating system, and as part of the company's transition to Windows 10, it appears that pulling the plug on this device is a thing that needs to be done.

Windows 10 will be an operating system available across all devices, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones, so Windows RT and devices powered by it might not have a future in Microsoft's vision.

In a statement for BI, Microsoft confirms that the company will soon stop manufacturing the Surface 2 entirely, so if you really want to buy one, this might be your chance to get it.

Windows RT and Windows 10 features

The reason is yet to be disclosed, but the decision isn't really surprising. Microsoft has already confirmed that Windows RT will only get some Windows 10 features, as introducing the full package for this OS version would be really difficult, so there's no doubt that sooner or later the tablet-oriented operating system will be axed.

Windows RT was officially introduced by Microsoft in October 2012 with the Surface RT (later renamed to Surface), but this particular product actually did more harm than good.

Many users were confused by its name and believed that a tablet running Windows RT could be able to run all programs, including those designed for x86 and x64 devices.

Instead, Windows RT devices with ARM processors were limited to apps available in the Windows Store, and given the small number of apps that were initially offered to users, the early success of these tablets was rather disappointing.

Microsoft, on the other hand, is now dropping the Surface 2 in order to focus entirely on the Pro 3, which is currently the top-of-the-range model in its lineup. Rumor has it that a new tablet is in the works, and since there won't be any RT model, the company could launch it simply as Surface 4.