Thanks to Twitter, now we have an idea for a Surface Pro debut date.
On my way to the factory to check out #Surface Pro coming off the line…arriving in the coming weeks.
— Panos Panay (@panos_panay) January 15, 2013
That’s a Tweet yesterday from Panos Panay, the general manager of Microsoft’s Surface division. Microsoft has not officially unveiled a release date for the Surface Pro, but given that the company said the Pro would come out 90 days after the initial Windows RT tablet debut, Panay’s Tweet makes sense.
Microsoft released details on the Surface Pro late November, announcing that pricing will start at $899 for the 64GB version, with the 128GB version going for $999. The signature keyboard covers will sell separately, which means another $120 or $130, roughly, if you want the TouchCover or TypeCover to turn the Surface into something resembling a notebook.
Microsoft’s target with the Surface Pro is the business market — aiming for CIOs who may see the benefits of a getting employees something that feels like a tablet/notebook hybrid rather than buying them a tablet and a notebook separately.
Sales of the Surface RT, Microsoft’s first tablet offering, are not looking great. UBS analyst Brent Thill cut his estimate for Surface sales in half to just 1 million units sold this holiday quarter. Earlier this month, J.P. Morgan analyst John DiFucci predicted just 700,000 units sold.
Unlike the RT, the Surface Pro will be able to run Windows legacy applications and be powered by an Intel processor.
Check out why my colleague Todd Bishop thinks the Pro will be a tough sell.
Previously on GeekWire: Is that a Surface under the tree? 6 tips for new Microsoft tablet owners
