Surface 2 edges Microsoft forwards in tablet race

surfaces

Microsoft's grand tablet amitions are one step closer to reality, with new research showing more and more people are accessing the web using its devices.

Indeed, according to the research, Microsoft's share of web traffic from tablets has moved up by half a percentage point when comparing September 2013 with September 2014. Apple still dominates with almost 80 per cent, with Amazon in second position (with just shy of seven per cent), but still trailing behind the iPad maker.

Microsoft's increase has been primarily attributed to Microsoft's Surface 2, with numbers not including the hybrid Surface Pro, according to WinBeta.

The results are calculated from web usage data rather than the number of tablets sold to consumers, and this helps to determine which tablets are being used over which have the highest sales figures.

The gap between Apple tablets and Android or Microsoft is much smaller when it comes to sales figures, for example, but these statistics show that usage is much higher for various iPad models. With only the Surface and Surface 2 tablets in the running, however, a 60 per cent (from one per cent market share in September 2013 to 1.6 per cent in September 2014) increase for Microsoft is impressive.

The second Windows tablet is more than a year old, with Microsoft even slashing prices for it in light of the popularity of the Surface Pro 3, data for which hasn't been included in these results.

It was reported at the beginning of September that the hybrid tablet had sold so well that manufacturers had been unable to keep up with the demand.

In response, Microsoft said:"People's response to Surface Pro 3 has been positive. Our primary goal is and will remain to get Surface into the hands of all productive people who want a tablet that matches their unique productivity needs."

Caroline Preece

Caroline has been writing about technology for more than a decade, switching between consumer smart home news and reviews and in-depth B2B industry coverage. In addition to her work for IT Pro and Cloud Pro, she has contributed to a number of titles including Expert Reviews, TechRadar, The Week and many more. She is currently the smart home editor across Future Publishing's homes titles.

You can get in touch with Caroline via email at caroline.preece@futurenet.com.