14 DAY TRIAL // As promised on this month’s Patch Tuesday cycle, Microsoft rolled out a new fix for Surface Pro 3 tablets, trying to repair the limited Wi-Fi connectivity bugs that are said to be affecting many of the sold units.
The new patch, which is available right now via Windows Update for all Surface Pro 3 owners, is labeled as “System Firmware Update – 7/16/2014” or “System Hardware Update – 7/16/2014” and includes two software versions that are expected to deal with the reported bugs.
According to Microsoft’s own release notes, this firmware update includes Surface Integration 2.0.1038.0 that enhances system stability and Wireless Network Controller and Bluetooth version 15.68.3044.85 that further improves Wi-Fi connection and throughput scenarios.
At this point, it’s not yet clear whether this patch is fixing the Wi-Fi connectivity issues found on Surface Pro 3 tablets, but this is the second update released in this regard this month, so Microsoft would better correct it now or as soon as possible.
The company says that the update is now being delivered to tablets, but in case you can’t yet see it, it’s because the patch is getting shipped in stages, and you might have to wait a little bit longer.
“When Surface updates are provided via the Windows Update service, they are delivered in stages to Surface customers. As a result, not every Surface will receive the update at the same time, but the update will be delivered to all devices. If you have not received the update then please manually check Windows Update later,” the company said in the release notes.
Unsurprisingly, frustration is growing among Surface Pro 3 buyers and many decided to either return their tablets or exchange them with new ones that wouldn’t be affected by the issue.
Many turned to the company’s forums to complain, calling for Microsoft to address the bugs as soon as possible or they would bring back their tablets to the store and instead buy a tablet running a non-Windows operating system.
“This is absurd that we are paying so much for a device that is having so many problems that should have been fixed much sooner, or even before release. If a majority of these bugs and problems aren't fixed by the end of July, I will be returning my Surface and get something that WORKS,” one of the users whose tablets were suffering from limited Wi-Fi connectivity wrote on the company’s support forums.