Microsoft Surface Pro support has a 4.5-year expiration date

Microsoft Surface Pro
Is four years an acceptable lifespan for a $999 device like the Surface Pro?

If you just bought a Surface Pro, get ready to upgrade by July 2017, because that's when Microsoft will drop support for the Windows 8 Pro tablet.

Microsoft's support website reveals that the Surface Pro will be subject only to "mainstream" support, which will end halfway through 2017, PCWorld reported on Tuesday.

That gives the Surface Pro a nearly four-and-a-half-year lifespan, matching last year's announcement that support for the Surface RT will expire in April 2017.

Four and a half years may seem like a decent lifespan, but it could also be construed as an indication of how Microsoft sees the Surface tablets in regards to business customers.

None of your business

Microsoft's business-oriented products are usually granted an additional five years of support after mainstream support dries up, called the "extended" support phase.

Neither Surface tablet gets that extended support, demonstrating that Microsoft apparently considers even the Surface Pro, with its full version of WIndows 8, more of a consumer-facing tablet.

TechRadar considered at length whether the Surface Pro is right for business users, but now it seems like Microsoft has provided us with an answer.

On the other hand

Microsoft is just following the lead of its competitors, though, and that four years plus of support seems downright generous in comparison with Apple, which ceased support for the original iPad just two years after its launch. The 2010 tablet was never updated to iOS 6.

If Microsoft offers annual hardware iterations for the Surface, then customers will likely be itching to buy a new one by 2017 anyway.

During the Surface RT and Surface Pro's mainstream support phases, Microsoft will offer hardware repairs (free under warranty), replacement parts and units, and telephone-based support for the Windows 8 tablets.

Windows 8 itself will be supported for the full 10 years (five mainstream, five extended) of support, according to a support website FAQ.

It states that "the software embedded in [the Surface device] is subject to the Microsoft software lifecycle support policy, as is any software that is installed or downloaded on that Surface device."

Via PC World

Michael Rougeau

Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.

Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.

Latest in Laptops
Apple MacBook Air M3 on yellow background with lowest price text overlay
Need a new MacBook Air? Well I've found 9 discounts you'll not want to miss, including a MacBook Air M4 Amazon deal
Assorted Apple and Asus laptops on orange background with big savings text overlay
These are the 16 laptop deals I'd recommend to anybody in the spring sales – including MacBooks and gaming laptops
The MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) on a pink background with text saying Big Savings next to it.
Trust me – don’t bother buying any other laptop while the M2 MacBook Air is at this incredible price for Amazon’s Spring Sale
Asus Vivobook S laptop on yellow background with price cut text overlay
I've looked through hundreds of laptop deals in the Spring sales - this $599 Asus Vivobook has them all beat
The Surface Laptop 7 on a cyan background with a TechRadar deals badge.
This Windows laptop is 31% off in Amazon's Spring Sale and we scored it 5 stars – so why is Amazon putting a warning label on it?
Image of M4 MacBook Pro
Apple MacBooks are in the spotlight during Amazon's Spring Sale: you can save up to $400 right now
Latest in News
Garmin clippd integration
Garmin's golf watches just got a big software integration upgrade to help you improve your game
Robert Downey Jr reveals himself as Doctor Doom to a delighted crowd at San Diego Comic-Con 2024
Marvel is currently making a major announcement about Avengers: Doomsday's cast on YouTube, and I think it's going to be a long-winded reveal
Samsung QN90F on yellow background
Samsung announces US prices for its 2025 mini-LED TV lineup, and it’s good and bad news
Nintendo Switch Lite
Forget the Nintendo Switch 2, the original Switch is getting one last hurrah in a surprise Nintendo Direct tomorrow
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge colors seemingly revealed in new video, and there’s another sign of an imminent launch
Microsoft Copiot Studio deep reasoning and agent flows
Microsoft reveals OpenAI-powered Copilot AI agents to bosot your work research and data analysis