Soon after its Jan 21 2015 event, Microsoft announced that it will no longer be manufacturing Surface 2, the device running Windows 8 RT. The news associated with this announcement say that it was the need for ARM processors that compelled Microsoft to take this decision. Another factor for discontinuing Surface 2 was the better reception of Surface Pro 3. The Surface Pro 3 was much better received compared to Surface 2 running Windows 8.1 RT, making people assume that people were not satisfied with the stripped down version of Windows 8.1 and would rather spend a few bucks more to get a better operating device.
Microsoft stops manufacturing Surface 2
However, Microsoft did not say that it will withdraw support to Windows RT. Some of the stores online and offline, still have Surface 2 for sale and since there are considerable number of people using Windows RT, Microsoft will continue providing support Surface 2. Further, it is also being circulated that Surface 2 will be upgradable to a stripped down version of Windows 10.
Based on the above paragraphs, it is clear the Microsoft will simply stop manufacturing Surface 2 but it does not imply that Surface 2 will be killed. Once upgraded to Windows 10 stripped version, it will continue receiving upgrades and updates as any other mobile device running Windows 10. This means the end of Surface RT is not anytime near. It is only after people find it too difficult to manage on Surface 2 that they will give up on the devices.
Note that there are no third party hardware manufacturers – including the makers of ARM chips – are intending to manufacture devices for Windows RT. Though there were plenty of third party vendors using ARM processors to power Windows RT operating system during its initial period, they too suffered losses on the RT version of Windows 8.1 and hence they gave up producing such tablets.
The Intel x86 based processors pull more power compared to ARM processors. This is why ARM processors are used in tablets and mobile phones.
Analyzing the entire scenario, the following are clear:
1. Windows RT is not popular among users
2. The ARM based Surface 2 will continue to be supported as long as the devices are being used
3. Surface 2 will also get an upgrade to Windows 10, though not all features but a select few
Thus, we can say that Surface 2 will not see its death anytime soon. Rather, people who are using it will continue to do so until they are fed up of the device (a study says people change their devices on an average of 3 years) or until Microsoft takes any decision that is not favorable to Surface 2 tablets such as discontinuing support to them.
