Microsoft's Surface tablet is the success story of the Redmond company's fourth-quarter earning report. Although it faced slow sales growth for Windows and Office, Microsoft excelled in selling $888 million worth of their tablet – up 117-percent from last year. Total revenue was $3.6 billion, meaning Surface accounted for nearly 16 percent of the company's total cash intake.
The rise in Surface sales reveals a consumer interest in mobile devices that are designed by the same company which develops their operating system. Windows Phone might not be a success, as indicated by its measly 3-percent share of the U.S. smartphone market, but Microsoft is clearly courting a fanbase among tablet lovers.
The Surface tablet debuted to rocky reviews and sales, but recent renditions, especially its Windows 8 equipped versions, have been met with a warmer welcome. Our review aggregation has given the first Surface RT a 73/100, with the recent Surface Pro 3 jumping by 10 points to 83. We've also reviewed the Microsoft Surface 3, calling it "one of the most attractive tablets on the market."
And if a report from a Chinese website is to be believed, the upcoming Microsoft Surface Pro 4 will be slimmer, equipped with a 5th-generation Intel Broadwell processor, and – thanks to tiny holes – won't need a fan. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is expected to be out in stores before the year's end.