REDMOND (dpa-AFX) - Just over a year in market and it is getting out from the stores - That's going to be the fate for Microsoft's affordable Windows tablet, the Surface 3.
The firm reportedly has confirmed its plans to end the production of the Surface 3 by the end of December 2016, citing the limited inventory for the device.
Microsoft in an official statement said, 'Since launching Surface 3 over a year ago, we have seen strong demand and satisfaction amongst our customers. Inventory is now limited and by the end of December 2016, we will no longer manufacture Surface 3 devices.'
The Surface 3 is a budget-friendly 2-in-1 hybrid tablet, and gives a laptop-like experience by attaching a Type Cover keyboard. The Atom-based tablet, which was officially released in May 2015, has received mostly positive reviews. The Surface 3, with a price tag starting at just $499, was much cheaper to Surface Pro 3 and Pro 4, and was considered their alternative.
There were reports that in some stores in the United States, the stock for the Surface 3 and Band 2 devices were in short supplies.
The company is yet to talk about whether more devices in the Surface line will be introduced within the year or in 2017.
It is widely believed that the Surface 3 successor would be released during the spring of 2017 alongside the Redstone 2 Windows 10 update.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX