Stadelhuber on 20 June 2012
Microsoft outsource Surface tablets to Pegatron; expected prices above US$599
Monica Chen, Taipei; Joseph Tsai, DIGITIMES [Wednesday 20 June 2012]
Sources from notebook players have revealed that Microsoft's 10.6-inch Surface tablet PCs will be outsourced to Pegatron Technology for assembly; however, there is still not a firm estimate for order volumes.
The sources also estimated the end-market price of the Windows 8 Pro-based Surface tablet PC with Ivy Bridge processor to be at least above US$799, while the Windows RT-based model, featuring Nvidia's Tegra 3, will be priced above US$599.
The sources pointed out that the industrial design of Microsoft's Surface tablet PCs should attract consumers in the enterprise market, but their high prices are expected to become the biggest obstacle in the market.
The sources also pointed out that the Surface tablet PCs have successfully attracted the attention of consumers, but the strategy also means that Microsoft will directly compete against its downstream partners in the Windows-based tablet PC market. Since Microsoft is only expected to receive limited profits from its own-brand tablet PC products, while greatly offending its clients, the strategy that Microsoft has taken is rather risky.
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20120619PD210.html
