Ahead of the release of Windows 10, Microsoft has announced plans to expand its business channel for its Surface tablets, increasing from a few hundred partners selling and servicing its Surface line to a few thousand globally over the coming months.In a blog post announcing the move, Brian Hall, Microsoft Surface general manager, wrote that it is “directly related” to Microsoft’s “optimism for much broader success that will come with the release of Windows 10”.
“We’ve had a somewhat limited business channel for Surface and we’ve heard from a lot of customers that they’d like to see more partners offering Surface,” Hall wrote. “So we’re taking our next big step to serving our business customers.”
Hall wrote that those interested in becoming a partner should go to the Microsoft Partner Network Device Partner Portal and contact an authorised device distributor.
Hall has additionally announced that shipping of Microsoft’s large-screen (55″ and 84″) Surface Hub, designed for group collaboration, has been delayed, and that it will now not start shipping on September 1, writing that Microsoft is tuning its manufacturing process “to prepare for production at broader scale”.
Microsoft will have more details on an updated shipment schedule in early August.
