Surface Go gaining ground
The Go may only have been released in August, but by the end of the financial quarter in September, Microsoft was already recording improved overall sales.
TechRadar reported Microsoft had notched up record results, with the Surface Go a primary player in the improvement.
“Total revenue for Q1 2019 (fiscal year) hit $21.9 billion (£17 billion, AU$31 billion) which was up a very healthy 19 per cent year-on-year, and Surface sales saw a similar surge of 14 per cent, meaning that Microsoft raked in $1.1 billion (£850 million, AU$1.55 billion) from the range of hybrids and laptops.”
Meanwhile, Forbes noted the tech giant moved into fifth position in terms of PC sales, falling in behind Apple, and they tipped the Surface Go would further drive more improvement in the future.
“Having spoken to Microsoft’s UK team, they believe that the Surface Go is perfect as the device used for workers who are the first point of contact with customers such as workers out in the field, for example doing sales in shopping centre booths; front of house operations at entertain and hostelries; and in educational markets as a one to one device,” Forbes said.
It was a sentiment echoed by tech research firm IDC who noted Go was a major reason Microsoft had overtaken Apple as the detachable tablet of choice for tech distributors in Western Europe.
“The Surface Go was positioned to offer a midrange alternative, aimed predominately at the consumer and education space, and its greater affordability triggered an uptake for Microsoft in the third quarter, after quarters of challenging performances,” IDC research analyst Dennis Pedersen said.
