Surface RT debuts in Russia: high price, modest sales

Microsoft started last week the Russian rollout of Surface RT?almost six months after the inaugural tablet premiered on its home turf.

Last week Microsoft started the Russian rollout of Surface RT ? which it describes as ?a tablet with some laptop capabilities? ? almost six months after the inaugural tablet premiered on its home turf and more than a month since the plans were first floated, East-West Digital News, the international resource on Russian digital industries, reports. Coming in 32GB and 64GB storage options with or without a touch keyboard, the new ARM chip-powered gadget is for now only available from M.Video and Euroset, two leading Russian consumer electronics retailers. The entry-level option sells in Moscow?s M.Video for 20,990 rubles ($700), some $200 above the Surface?s US price. While Microsoft Russia hopes Russian customers will embrace the newcomer, retailers are only cautiously optimistic. Asked by East-West Digital News about the first days of Surface RT sales, Anton Panteleev, M.Video?s head of PR, said that the start was ?somewhat muted,? providing no numbers. He admitted that ?while people are interested, the demand is lukewarm, muffled by the newness of the platform and cooler-than-expected marketing support.? Panteleev believes that ?it will take about two or three months to assess the demand and whether the launch was successful, when people in Russia?s regions have digested that there?s more to Microsoft than just desktop Windows-enabled OS?s...