Microsoft Surface Sales Hit 1.5 Million But Still Shy of Expectations
When Microsoft decided to launch its own hardware with the Surface tablet, it was a big gamble, and many noted that even after its unbridled success in the operating system, software, and gaming hardware markets, the company may find the tablet hardware side of things to be tougher sledding. According to Bloomberg, that’s indeed what is happening now, as sales of Microsoft’s tablets are falling far short of expectations.
Three sources told Bloomberg that the company has sold approximately one million Surface RTs and 400,000 Surface Pro tablets; while that’s not nothing, Microsoft reportedly ordered 3 million Surface RTs, which means that there are still 2 million of them sitting in warehouses right now. One analyst projected that Surface sales would hit 1.4 million in this current quarter, but he has now adjusted that number to less than half, at 600,000.
Lagging Surface sales are all the more alarming because of the booming sales of tablets overall. Bloomberg notes that tablet sales are expected to climb to 190.9 million this year; Microsoft can only claim a very small sliver of that number for now.
Microsoft has a huge task on its hands; the company must be able to convince consumers to both move to its Windows 8 operating system and also buy a tablet running it. So far, it hasn’t done a great job of either.
Three sources told Bloomberg that the company has sold approximately one million Surface RTs and 400,000 Surface Pro tablets; while that’s not nothing, Microsoft reportedly ordered 3 million Surface RTs, which means that there are still 2 million of them sitting in warehouses right now. One analyst projected that Surface sales would hit 1.4 million in this current quarter, but he has now adjusted that number to less than half, at 600,000.
Lagging Surface sales are all the more alarming because of the booming sales of tablets overall. Bloomberg notes that tablet sales are expected to climb to 190.9 million this year; Microsoft can only claim a very small sliver of that number for now.
Microsoft has a huge task on its hands; the company must be able to convince consumers to both move to its Windows 8 operating system and also buy a tablet running it. So far, it hasn’t done a great job of either.
