Microsoft: Surface is here to stay

In a post on the Surface blog, Microsoft has moved to assure businesses that the Surface line is here to stay. We've already heard that the Surface Pro 3 is a success -- although there are no figures to back up this claim -- but Microsoft's failure to launch a third generation RT-based version of the Surface, as well as the disappearance of the long-rumored Surface Mini, raised fears that the line of tablets may not be long for this world. Microsoft is keen to allay these concerns, pointing out not only that Surface is here to stay, but also that it is particularly suitable for businesses.

The post points out that the Surface Pro 3 is a device that's "great for getting things done". There's almost an air of desperation to the blog post in which Microsoft extols the virtue Surface and confirms its commitment to the brand. The selling point is still that the device is a laptop and tablet in one, and post author Brian Hall, General Manager for Surface, is quick to mention a number of big names who have adopted Surface Pro 3.

There is a lot of trumpet-blowing from Hall, but it's not long before the big guns are wheeled out n the form of a statement from CEO Satya Nadella:

We believe a strength of the Microsoft platform for enterprise is the rich ecosystem of hardware and applications developed by our partners, the community at large, and some of our own teams at Microsoft. In particular with Microsoft Surface Pro 3 we are now offering an enterprise-class device that can deliver great end user productivity. Microsoft is putting its full and sustained support behind the ongoing Surface program as one of a number of great hardware choices for businesses large and small.

Microsoft is turning its attention more and more to the enterprise side of its business, and this is just the latest example of this focus. The company is keen to sell the idea of the Windows ecosystem, much as Apple managed with iOS and OS X, and this is a theme that was underlined with the recent launch of Windows 10 Technical Preview. Windows 10, despite being around a year away, is referred to in the blog post, reassuring potential buyers that Surface Pro 3 will be upgradable to the latest version of Microsoft's operating system. It's not clear whether this, coupled with the money-saving Surface Laptop Replacement Bundle will be enough to boost sales of Surface Pro 3, but Microsoft will certainly be hoping so.

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