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Is the Surface slowly starting to pay off for Microsoft?

Published Oct 23rd, 2014 4:34PM EDT
Microsoft Q1 2015 Earnings Surface
Image: Microsoft Corporation

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The first-generation Surface RT was a notorious bomb but Microsoft has diligently kept refining its Surface tablet models and has seen some impressive sales growth over the past year. According to Microsoft’s Q1 2015 earnings report that it released on Thursday, the company generated $908 million in Surface revenue, which is more than twice the $400 million in Surface revenue Microsoft reported in Q1 2014 and a sequential improvement from the $409 million in Surface revenue that the company posted in Q4 2014.

RELATED: Is the Surface Pro 3 the much-needed hit Microsoft has been waiting for?

This isn’t to say that the Surface is a monumental hit, of course, but Microsoft’s tablet line is showing healthy year-over-year growth. The Surface Pro 3, which the company launched earlier this year, has garnered strong reviews and has been backed by a solid marketing campaign about that revolves around pitching the device as “the tablet that can replace your laptop.” Microsoft credits “Surface Pro 3 momentum” with “driving” its big year-over-year increase in Surface revenues, so it seems the device really has been at least a minor hit even if it’s still nowhere near on par with Apple’s iPad.

At the very least, these encouraging sales numbers give the company something to build on as it heads toward 2015 and the eventual launch of Windows 10.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.