14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is working to expand its Surface product lineup, and after the debut of the Pro 3 in May this year, it appears that the company is getting ready to introduce a brand new model.
Until now, Redmond has launched an RT and Pro model of each Surface generation, so it’s natural to expect that after the Pro 3 unveiling, a new version powered by Windows RT could come out.
At this point, the Surface 2 with 64 GB is no longer available on Microsoft’s online store, and according to a new report, this could be the beginning of a new step made by Microsoft to clear inventories and pave the way for the new model.
Microsoft sales staff told Neowin that the company might not bring any Surface 2 units back in stock, as it was trying to focus on newer models.
Full focus on the latest Surface tablets
“I do not know when the [Surface] 2 64 GB will be back in stock,” a Microsoft salesperson said. “In all honesty, I don’t believe those will be available again through our website. Microsoft is trying to sell out of those devices and focus on the new version of Surfaces.”
And this does make sense. The Surface Pro 3 is aggressively promoted by Microsoft, while all the other models, including the Surface 2 and the Pro 2, are rarely the subject of new promos. Microsoft is offering discounts for older versions every once in a while, but it appears that the reason is as simple as it could be: sell as many tablets as possible in the shortest time you can.
The Surface 2 wasn’t really a bestseller, but Microsoft hopes that the Surface Pro 3 can indeed break records despite the pretty high price tags. The top-of-the-range Surface Pro 3 can be yours in the United States for approximately $2,000 (€1,500).
Surface Mini back in business?
One very interesting project developed by Microsoft but which got the axe before ever seeing daylight is the Surface Mini, an 8-inch tablet which was expected to hit the market together with the Surface Pro 3.
The Mini was very likely to be marketed as a note-taking device and be sold with the same digital pen as the Pro 3, in an attempt to replace traditional notebooks for students and teachers.
People close to the matter said that Satya Nadella and Stephen Elop themselves looked at the Mini and decided to give up on it for the moment until something more innovative was developed.
The Surface Mini could thus get a new chance to make a name for itself, but there’s no doubt that a low price is a must-have for such a device.