Microsoft has shifted 1.5 million Surface tablets according to Bloomberg's reports.
In the tech world, the first quarter of 2013 marked a significant period for Microsoft's foray into the tablet market with the launch of the Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets. However, the exact sales figures for these devices during Q1 2013, compared to the previous quarter of 2012, remain elusive.
Initial sales of the Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets, which were launched towards the end of 2012, were somewhat sluggish. The Surface RT, in particular, faced challenges, with sales reportedly falling short of expectations.
As for Q1 2013, reports suggest that sales of the Surface RT tablets may have continued to struggle, with limited market adoption. This contrasted with the fourth quarter of 2012, during which worldwide tablet shipments reached 52.5 million, according to IDC.
Microsoft's Surface Pro tablets, which use an Intel chip and the full Windows 8 operating system, also saw limited early sales. However, the success of subsequent Surface models, starting from 2014-2015 onwards, indicates a shift in the fortunes of these devices.
It's worth noting that the Wikipedia excerpt discusses Surface sales more notably from 2015, mentioning the Surface Pro 3 and later models. Yet, it does not include specific quarterly sales figures or trends for Surface RT and Surface Pro during 2012-2013.
Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner, attributes the low Surface RT sales to factors such as the lack of intuitive nature of the Surface interface, a limited number of apps, and potentially high price point. He also criticised Microsoft for emphasising a keyboard that may not be useful in the consumer space.
Despite the lack of confirmed figures, if the Bloomberg report is accurate, Microsoft is estimated to have sold around 100,000 Surface RT tablets in 2013 so far. On the other hand, Microsoft has sold 400,000 units of the Surface Pro tablets since their launch in February.
Microsoft's share of the tablet market was a modest 1.7% during the fourth quarter of 2012, with Apple leading the way, selling 22.9 million iPads, accounting for 43.6% of the market.
In conclusion, while precise quarterly sales data for Surface RT and Surface Pro for late 2012 and early 2013 may not be readily available, it is clear that the initial sales of the Surface RT tablets were below expectations, and sales may have continued to lag in Q1 2013 compared to Q4 2012. The Surface Pro tablets, on the other hand, saw more success in later Surface generations and fiscal years.
The initial sales of Microsoft's Surface technology, including the Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets, were relatively slow, particularly the Surface RT, which faced challenges and reportedly sold less than anticipated. In Q1 2013, sales of Surface RT tablets may have continued to struggle, with limited market adoption compared to the fourth quarter of 2012.
