Microsoft's Surface Pro will finally be available in the UK next month, with the announcement that the tablet will be shipped to 19 countries, mostly across Europe and Oceania before the end of May.
It will also launch in Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand before the end of June, making a total of 29 countries by the summer. The Microsoft tablet was released in the US, Canada and China in February.
Further reading
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Microsoft has yet to release specific launch dates or pricing details for Surface Pro. The firm says these will be revealed closer to the tablet's shipping date. In the US prices start at $899 (£590).
Unlike the Windows RT tablet, released last year to middling reviews, Surface Pro comes equipped with a fully functioning Windows 8 ecosystem, designed to make it fully compatible with Windows 8-based desktop PCs, laptops and smartphones.
Writing on the Surface Pro blog, Brian Hall, general manager for Microsoft Surface, says: "The enthusiasm for Surface has been fantastic, and we love hearing the stories of people who are making it the one device they use to work and play."
However, as of last month, the Surface Pro had only sold 400,000 units, way short of company expectations. It represents a tiny share of a market dominated by the 23 million iPads sold during the final quarter of 2012.
Speaking to Computing earlier this year, ex-Microsoft senior vice president Joachim Kempin commented that Surface Pro is unlikely to be a success for his former employers.
"I don't think it's going to make a dent, because that's the category where most PC manufacturers know exactly what to do," he said, referring to Windows 8 based touchscreen notebooks from the likes of Lenovo and Dell.
"Just look back. Microsoft and hardware. What have they ever done that was successful?" asked Kempin.
Microsoft, however, remains bullish about the prospects for its tablet, with the firm claiming that it's been a challenge keeping the 128GB Surface Pro in stock in the regions where it is currently available.
