Initial run of Surface pre-orders sells out
updated 03:06 pm EDT, Sat October 20, 2012
UK, Canada Surface orders not delayed
Microsoft appears to have sold through its initial supply of Surface RT tablets just four days after they first became available for pre-order. The product page for Surface RT now shows the 32GB and 64GB units with a capacitive Touch Cover shipping in one to two weeks, while the 32GB model which sold out earlier this week, shows a shipping time of three weeks.
Engadget reported earlier today that Microsoft had sent out emails to customers that had pre-ordered the Surface in the UK and Canada, informing them that their orders would be delayed until November 2 instead of their original October 26 ship date. Since then, Microsoft has announced that the email was sent in error and that pre-orders to those countries will ship without any delay.
Without any figures on how many units Microsoft produced for its initial run, it isn't possible to gauge just how large a success the sell-through signifies. Industry analysts have estimated that Microsoft will produce between three and five million Surface units before the end of the year. This figure, though includes both the Surface RT and the as yet unreleased Surface Pro, which will run the full version of Windows 8.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: 12-06-05
Without knowing how many devices Microsoft pre-sold, this is almost non-news - perhaps fit for publication in mid-August. All it means is that if you really want to order and actually receive one of these sight unseen soon (and if you think you do, you should probably think harder), you're out of luck. From what I've read so far though, if you didn't already pre-order a Surface RT, you should consider yourself lucky.