After more than a year since it first hit store shelves, it looks like Microsoft's affordable Windows tablet, the Surface 3, will soon be pulled out from stores.
The firm has confirmed to ZDNet that it plans to kill off the Surface 3 in December, adding that the inventory for the device is currently "limited."
"Since launching Surface 3 over a year ago, we have seen strong demand and satisfaction amongst our customers," said Microsoft in an official statement provided by its spokesperson. "Inventory is now limited, and by the end of December 2016, we will no longer manufacture Surface 3 devices."
The confirmation fairly comes hot on the heels of reports saying that stock of the Surface 3 and Band 2 devices are in short supplies in some stores in the United States.
Does Microsoft Plan To Unveil New Devices In The Surface Line?
While it is already official that the production of the Surface 3 will be discontinued by December this year, we have yet to hear an official world from the company whether more devices in the Surface line will be introduced within the year or in 2017.
ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley mentions in her report that some sources said that the company postponed the rolling out of Windows "Redstone" 2 until early next year, as the firm's officials purportedly want to unveil a "big-bang Surface hardware" alongside the upcoming major release of Windows 10.
Foley also said that it is not clear if the company plans to push out new Microsoft-branded devices in spring of 2017 or if it will release the next-generation Surface Book laptops or Surface Pro tablets.
Moreover, Foley added that one of the sources claim that the company's official "have gone back and forth" with regard to the introduction of Surface 3's heir.
Surface 3 For Budget-Conscious Consumers
For the uninitiated, Surface 3 is Microsoft's offering to its customers who are in search for a budget-friendly 2-in-1 Windows tablet.
Originally priced at $499, this Atom-based tablet was unwrapped in May 2015. The device is crammed with Windows 8.1 operating system. However, it is worth mentioning that these can be upgraded to Windows 10. LTE variants of the device were also rolled out.
Microsoft's Band 2
With regard to Band 2, which the company unwrapped in October last year, the company does not mention any plans to stop the manufacturing of the wearable device.
It only released a statement that talks about its recommendation to consumers to check out its Microsoft Stores for supplies, as it is presently limited.
While Microsoft says that there's been "strong demand and satisfaction" for Microsoft's Surface 3, a report from Engadget believes that "[it's] odd to wind down sales of a popular product half a year before production stops," adding that its Atom chip under its hood plus its limited storage could probably make it a tough sell as a replacement for laptops.
It is also highly possible that the company wants to center its attention on the Surface Book and the Pro range of Surface tablets, as they seem more popular to more Microsoft customers.
