With students heading back to school for the fall semester, Microsoft is looking to make it easier on parents seeking that ideal tablet by reducing the price of the Surface 2 by around $100.
The company says the new pricing runs from Aug. 24 through Sept. 27, or "while supplies last," which may be a signal that the tech company is looking to get those Surface 2 tablets off the shelves as it prepares for a new device.
One report suggested Microsoft would be launching a new tablet at the end of September, and possibly that the company is "simply getting ready to discontinue the Windows RT tablet lineup altogether."
The new pricing will see the 32-GB Wi-Fi model retail for only $349. If a consumer wants to upgrade to the Wi-Fi 64-GB Surface 2 it will run $449, and the 64-GB LTE model is priced at $579. All are marked reductions in the previous retail of the tablets; the $349 model is $50 cheaper than the iPad mini.
The Surface 2 can only use Windows Metro apps and features at 10.6-inch display, but has been somewhat successful for working professionals as it is pre-installed with Microsoft Office, allowing users to have access to documents and the ability to use the tablet as a pseudo-computer.
The new prices are available at Microsoft's online store and at selected retailers across the country, including Best Buy.
The price reduction comes as Microsoft recently announced that Norwegian software developer Opera would be taking over its mobile device operating system development as the company looks to launch a series of high-profile devices in the near future, but recently shelved its flagship smartphone, Tech Times reports.
"We have signed a strategic licensing deal with Microsoft. We are basically taking over the browser building department in Nokia," Opera Chief Executive Lars Boilsesen said. "This means that Opera Mini will become the default browser for Microsoft's feature phone product lines and the Asha phones product lines."
Many expect that the new operating system being developed could be a major component for the company's effort to expand upon the Surface 2 tablet and launch new, innovative tablets that entice the customers who are looking to move to a tablet, but want the functionality that they have come to expect with their laptop.
