Sales of the Surface were poor, with Microsoft cutting its price worldwide and taking a US$990 million loss in July 2013 as a result. Although praised for its hardware design, accessories, and aspects of its operating system, criticism was directed towards the performance of the device, as well as the limitations of the Windows RT operating system and its application ecosystem. Surface served as the launch device for Windows RT, a limited version of Windows 8 designed for devices based on ARM architecture, with the ability to run only Metro-style Windows applications developed for it and distributed through the Windows Store.

Positioned as a competitor to Apple's iPad line, Surface included several distinctive features, including a folding kickstand which allowed the tablet to stand at an angle, and the availability of optional attachable protective covers incorporating a keyboard.

Announced in June 2012, it was released in October 2012, and was the first personal computer designed in-house by Microsoft. The first-generation Surface (launched as Surface with Windows RT, later marketed as Surface RT) is a hybrid tablet computer developed and manufactured by Microsoft.

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