Redmond makes its tablet available at partners

Sep 9, 2015 09:32 GMT  ·  By

Dell and HP, which are currently two of Microsoft’s biggest partners in the PC industry, will begin selling the company’s Surface Pro and offer a number of additional services as part of a new effort called the Surface Enterprise Initiative.

Microsoft says this decision comes at the request of enterprise customers, who want to purchase the tablet from one partner with one transaction “and have devices deployed across the world.”

The first Microsoft Surface Pro devices will arrive in Dell stores in the United States and Canada in early October, together with all the accessories that you usually find in Microsoft stores or online. The other 28 markets where the Surface is currently available should be getting the tablet via Dell in early 2016, the company says.

Thanks to this partnership, Surface Pro tablets purchased from Dell can benefit from additional services (available at a price), such as Dell Services, including Dell Hardware Warranty, ProSupport with Accidental Damage Service, and Configuration and Deployment Services.

More partners to follow soon

Dell and HP are just two of the bigger names that join the Surface Enterprise Initiative, as the company says that similar agreements have already been reached with Accenture and Avanade.

“Our enterprise customers in the 30 markets where Surface is commercially available tell us they love Surface, especially how it improves both productivity and mobility. But some also tell us they need a broader set of options in terms of service, management and support,” Redmond explains.

“And while many take advantage of our great services like Office and Skype for Business, they also tell us that the promise of mobile productivity that Surface represents can be even more fully realized with industry-specific Windows apps that are easy to use across devices.”

Microsoft is also working on a new tablet that could launch in the coming months as the Surface Pro 4, so this initiative seems more like a strategy to pave the way for the new device. Redmond’s keeping all details on the Pro 4 secret, but it could launch next month together with new Lumia phones.