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3 Million Surface Tablets Expected to Be Produced

By August 22, 2012March 7th, 2023Technology News

Though the numbers have fluctuated significantly in the last few months since Surface’s announcement, Microsoft has finally announced the number of tablets they expect to product off the bat: a whopping 3 million units.

The estimates seem to exceed Microsoft’s online store capabilities, however. “If they build a few million units there’s no way they can sell it through Microsoft store only,” said IDC analyst Bob O’Donnell. “So I think that they’ll sell it through traditional retail also. You can’t build that many products without having a much wider distribution strategy. They just haven’t shared that [strategy] yet,” he continued.

The $200 price point of the Surface tablet was also discussed. Instead of selling the device outright for $199, Microsoft plans to include a subscription program. If you subscribe to a service and sign a contract, the tablet can be yours for less. Otherwise, the price tag will likely be in the $500 range. “There could be two ways to get Surface. Buy it outright for, let’s say, $599. Or $199 for a two-year subscription and you can get X,Y, and Z — which, oh, by the way, works out to more than $599,” says O’Donnell.

O’Donnell says he believes that he $199 price point is unrealistic. The new tablet is basically a computer, and the pricing of $199 on a computer would be unsuccessful. “MS Office subscription? Any Windows RT product comes with Office. So, that knocks out that theory,” said the analyst.

Microsoft has not said anything further on the subject, but further announcements are expected in the upcoming month.

Jason Manteiga

Jason J. Manteiga, Vice President of Olmec Systems, has been part of the company for over the past 20 years. He believes that having a great work environment and supportive team, is the ultimate key to success. Since being in the IT realm for over 25 years, Jason, along with Olmec Systems, has been on the Inc. 5000 “List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies” and Channel Futures MSP 501 “Top Managed Service Providers in North America,” along with other awards and nominations. Jason earned his Bachelor Degree in Information Systems from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He also holds certifications in Microsoft MCSE, VMWare VCP, and Cisco CCNA. In his spare time, Jason is a contributor for The Center for Social & Legal Research (Privacy Exchange) and a member of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. His hobbies include cycling and kayaking. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters and son.