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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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After a price cut to its Surface RT tablet and reports of modest sales last month, The Verge is reporting that Microsoft has cut the price of its Surface Pro tablet by $100 through August 29. The price cut applies to both the 64 GB and 128 GB versions of the tablet, bringing down the price of those models to $799 and $899 respectively.

surface_pro-800x473.jpg
In July, Microsoft filed its annual Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealing that its Surface lineup of tablets had garnered only $853 million in revenue for the company, which is less than the $900 million writedown the company took for the Surface RT. While Microsoft did not reveal how many Surface units it sold, GeekWire estimated that it sold approximately 1.7 million units by the end of June.

Last month, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told employees at an internal Microsoft town hall meeting that the company had "built more devices than [Microsoft] could sell" in reference to slowing Surface sales. The company has been heavily marketing Windows 8 tablets recently, pitting different tablets against Apple's iPad in a series of ads that highlight the iPad's inability to multitask and its lack of built-in productivity software.

Despite the price cuts, Microsoft has suggested that new versions of both the Surface Pro and Surface RT are in the works, along with a number of new accessories.

Article Link: Microsoft Slashes Price of Surface Pro Through August 29 Following Surface RT Price Cut
 

Reason077

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2007
3,605
3,644
Surface Pro … Surface RT… price cut here, price cut there. It's all so confusing!

No wonder they aren't selling.
 

Red Oak

Suspended
Jun 14, 2011
470
2,641
If Microsoft built 6 million units have many have estimated and have sold ~ 2 million, they have 4 million in inventory and in the retail channel. That is over $1 billion of product that is not selling

I would expect another very large write-off to take place within the next 6 months. At least $500 million

There is no way this garbage is going to sell
 

jm001

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2011
596
123
And... there it is.

IF they slash it even more to the point that the Pro is less or equal to the iPad then I'll definitely buy one. However my main concern is how much space Windows8 pro takes up. I would have to buy the 128GB model. These tablets have micro or regular SD slots right? It would be a nice laptop replacement.
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,026
7,868
It could be a sign that a Haswell version is on the way soon. If they can manage to get 9-12 hours out of that one and reduce the weight and thickness, it could have a shot in the market.
 

Battlefield Fan

macrumors 65816
Mar 9, 2008
1,063
0
It really is a nice tablet. Use one. I own both an iPad and Surface. I'd like to see what a second generation tablet from Microsoft would bring to the table but it seems as if no one is willing to give them the chance.
 

Fafafoooey

macrumors member
Jun 13, 2007
77
18
USA
Why get that...

when you can get a Macbook Air for the same original price and it has PCI SSD, can run Win7 or Win8 in addition to OSX, has a better warranty and more so with AppleCare, is built better.
 

Bhatu

macrumors regular
Apr 1, 2013
171
86
I am pretty much sure that if they re-release Surface with Windows XP, people may like to buy it!! :D
 

bpd115

macrumors 6502a
Feb 4, 2003
823
87
Pennsylvania
Build quality isn't an issue, the tablet is built really well. Some design quarks...no easy way to type when lying down using the on screen keyboard like an iPad + Smartcover....

Where this thing excels is digital art with the included Wacom Pen. Niche market though, but I'd love this pen on an iPad....
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,124
31,156
I'm curious how many people actually use the Surface Pro as a tablet. I don't see what the tablet benefits of this device are. And all of Microsoft's promotional shots show it being used in landscape orientation with kickstand and keyboard. What makes this better than a touch enabled Ultrabook?
 

Amazing Iceman

macrumors 603
Nov 8, 2008
5,285
4,031
Florida, U.S.A.
When they reduce the price to 20%, I'll buy a dozen for target practice. There's a great app called "Bull's Eye" that draws a perfect target.

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It really is a nice tablet. Use one. I own both an iPad and Surface. I'd like to see what a second generation tablet from Microsoft would bring to the table but it seems as if no one is willing to give them the chance.

Back in 2007 I would have probably bought one, but just like with my Pocket PC, for which I spent over $1700 in units and accessories that have become practically obsolete, I'm afraid the same is going to happen to the Surface.

Something just didn't click-in properly (could that be the Metro interface?) and it's not getting much attention.
 

inlinevolvo

macrumors 6502
Jul 11, 2012
359
3
When they reduce the price to 20%, I'll buy a dozen for target practice. There's a great app called "Bull's Eye" that draws a perfect target.

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Back in 2007 I would have probably bought one, but just like with my Pocket PC, for which I spent over $1700 in units and accessories that have become practically obsolete, I'm afraid the same is going to happen to the Surface.

Something just didn't click-in properly (could that be the Metro interface?) and it's not getting much attention.

I have a feeling the surface will follow the path of the "kin" and the "Zune". Microsoft has a habit of introducing ill researched products into the market and killing them off. They will leave the tablet marketplace in a few years. As someone else posted, you can get a MacBook Air for the price, which can do so much more. It also doesn't help that the metro interface isn't all that great to use. And the classic Microsoft desktop doesn't suit a tablet.
 

NSeven

macrumors member
Jul 14, 2009
98
20
Scotland
No one cares about Microsoft Products, its not even in the same League as the iPad... also anyone who quotes this and tells me to stop moaning.. go cry to your moms.. if you don't have moms then to bad..
 

JoeyCloverfield

macrumors regular
Sep 16, 2012
243
0
No one cares about Microsoft Products, its not even in the same League as the iPad... also anyone who quotes this and tells me to stop moaning.. go cry to your moms.. if you don't have moms then to bad..

I was under the impression you had to be over 13 to make a forum account. I guess I was wrong.
 
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