FILE- In this Aug. 31, 2017, file photo, a Microsoft Surface tablet is used during the second half of an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Atlanta. Microsoft Corp. reports earns on Thursday, April 26, 2018. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Microsoft Corp is planning to release a line of lower-cost Surface tablets as soon as the second half of 2018, seeking a hit in a market for cheaper devices that Apple Inc dominates with the iPad, according to people familiar with the matter.
Microsoft has tried this before. The software giant kicked off its consumer-oriented hardware push in 2012 with the launch of the original Surface RT. At the time, it was priced starting at US$499 (RM1,978). After the tablets didn’t resonate with consumers and product reviewers, Microsoft pivoted to the more-expensive Surface Pro, a line which has gained steam and likely contributed to demand for a pro-oriented iPad, which Apple launched in 2015.
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