Canalys: Microsoft shipped over 2 million Surface tablets in Q4

PanARMENIAN.Net - Microsoft shipped over 2 million Surface tablets in the fourth quarter, says a report from market researcher Canalys, according to Forbes.

That number includes Surface RT tablets, which are reportedly being phased out.

Canalys is one of the few research firms to publicize shipment numbers on Microsoft’s Surface.

“Microsoft’s own-branded devices accounted for just over a third of worldwide shipments of Windows tablets as Surface Pro 3 sales continued to gain momentum,” Canalys said.

Surface Pro 3 appears to be a relative success — at least by Microsoft and Window tablet market standards.

“I think they got it right with the third generation,” said Canalys analyst Chris Jones. “It’s taken some time to resonate with consumers but [Microsoft] keeps pushing and pushing [the marketing],” he added.

The Pro 3 is sold as a tablet but a proprietary Microsoft keyboard — sold separately — is an essential part of the package.

A Microsoft representative declined to comment on the numbers. But the representative added that the Surface Pro 3 was selling at triple the rate of Surface Pro 2 in the most recent quarter, a 24-percent increase from the year-ago quarter.

The product got a limited-time discount last week.