Resellers want first dibs on Surface Pro
Calls for Microsoft to make its business-oriented tablet available to channel straight after rumoured launch at end of January
Resellers have called on Microsoft to make its Windows 8 Surface Pro tablet available to the channel as soon after launch as possible, to help them satisfy pent-up customer demand.
Rumours abound this week that Microsoft is set to launch the professional version of its own-branded tablet on 26 or 29 January.
That fits in with the vendor's original claim that Surface Pro would see the light of day 90 days after the launch of Windows 8 on 26 October. The vendor submitted a device labelled "1514" - which it said ran Windows 8 software - to the Federal Communications Commission for approval in late December, indicating that everything is on schedule.
Priced at either $899 or $999 in the US, Surface Pro is one of the first tablets being touted as a possible laptop replacement and Microsoft partners are keen to get their hands on the device before customers go cold.
Following its launch in October, the consumer version of Surface, Surface RT, is yet to be made available to the channel (outside of John Lewis) but Richard Gibbons, software manager at Microsoft partner Bechtle, urged the giant to change tack with Surface Pro.
"We have had to point customers asking for RT towards the Microsoft website or John Lewis, which is not ideal. But while RT is an add-on product, we are expecting Surface Pro to be a laptop replacement, where organisations will want to work with their normal supplier.
"We have a number of customers holding projects for the Surface Pro and once it becomes available they will want to get purchasing straight away. If it is a matter of a couple of weeks, maybe they will be happy to wait so they can go through their normal channels. But if that wait is extended, they will buy it from anywhere.
"Microsoft needs to make it available to the channel, ideally at the same time [as launch] or very soon after."
According to CNet, some US stores expect Surface Pro to be available from 26 October. Meanwhile, Softpedia reports that the tablet will see the light of day on 29 January, citing "sources close to the matter".
Microsoft is tight-lipped on UK pricing but Gibbons urged the vendor not to stray too far from a straight currency conversion, which would put the 64GB version at £560 and the 128GB version at £622. Unlike Surface RT, the Pro version does not come with a touch cover but it can be purchased for an additional charge.
"Pricing it at £600 to £700 would position it well as a laptop replacement," Gibbons said.
Martin Hellawell, managing director of VAR Softcat (pictured), said he was surprised that Microsoft has yet to reveal its channel strategy for the device.
"I would have thought having that strong route to market would be one of its big competitive advantages," he said.
"Over time, if Microsoft wants to sell tablets to corporations, the obvious route to market would be the reseller channel, as corporate customers will not want to buy from the website."