Lower Prices on Microsoft Surface Are Made Permanent After Company Promotion

Microsoft is permanently cutting prices on Surface Pro, Surface RT and touch covers, according to news reports.

The prices are now $100 less for Surface Pro, which Microsoft describes as “a laptop in tablet form.” The Surface Pro starts at $799. There is also $50 off of Surface RT bundles, which will start at $399. Surface RT Surface comes with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT preinstalled. Also, there is $40 off of Touch Covers, which will now start at $79. In addition, Limited Edition Touch Covers will start at $89. Touch Cover can be clicked into Surface and provides users a thin and spill-resistant keyboard.

"The customer response to recent Surface pricing and keyboard-cover promotions has been exciting to see, and we are proud to begin rollout of Surface Pro, Touch Cover and Surface RT bundles at even more affordable prices starting August 29," Microsoft said in an e-mail to ZDNet.

But one reader, Vbitrate, appears skeptical about the future of Surface.

“It's inevitable that Surface will be cancelled,” the comment on ZDNet said. “Surface sales have been abysmal. CEO [Steve] Ballmer has fallen on his sword as a result. His replacement isn't going to want to keep subsidizing the thing…Axing Surface, along with Ballmer, is inevitable.”

Last month, one law firm filed a class action lawsuit against Microsoft in connection with the company allegedly hiding what MobilityTechzone called “major losses related to its Surface RT tablet.”

Among the defendants are: Ballmer, former chief financial officer Peter Klein, corporate vice president Frank Brod, and executive vice president of marketing Tami Reller.

In addition, the suit claims Microsoft misrepresented “the true financial effect" the tablet had on the company, and investors were not told the company was holding onto “excess inventory of Surface RT,” MobilityTechzone reported.