I think that it is safe to say that the Surface is a failure. But that doesn't mean it should be killed, just fixed. I concur with the article when it notes,

I think that it is safe to say that the Surface is a failure. But that doesn't mean it should be killed, just fixed. I concur with the article when it notes, Apple's iPad is a clear winner in the high end for now and the immediate future (I'll bet the next 3 years). But the high end isn't the only market. In the long term, the interesting market will probably evolve out of today's low/middle end. And ceding what was traditionally known as the "white box" market, not to Apple, but to Android, would be a huge mistake. One that could threaten Windows in time. For the short term, Android is probably going to hold the lowest end ARM tablets. I can't imagine Microsoft being able to compete here any time soon (as price is the big issue). The best MS can do is try to make Android irrelevant. If, 5 years from now, Android is seen as "good enough" by the general population, then Google might be able to use it to make a run on the desktop. I know I would in their shoes. That leaves the mid-range market. And I believe there is value in a Windows tablet running a low-powered x86. One that plays movies/TV shows, runs Office, has IE, and has backward compatibility with existing apps. A tablet that favours price to specs, but needs to come in a shiny casing none-the-less. This product isn't the Surface 3, but there is no reason it couldn't be the next iteration. If the price was right, I could see my proposed tablet becoming the "safe" option for IT departments. Once the basic form is there, help third party OEMs get in on the market, and slowly revert to being a software-only company.