Tami Reller, speaking at the JP Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, stated that customer satisfaction with the Surface with both RT and Pro is meeting expectations. In addition, the software for the RT has been greatly improved since the fall release which has helped to improve the perception of the platform.
Speaking specifically about Microsoft and ARM related devices, Tami Reller was adamant on Microsoft"s needs to maintain the flexibility of having ARM devices along side your more traditional x86 and x64 platforms. It"s clear that even with Intel"s new low-power devices hitting the market soon, ARM will certainly be challenged in the areas it has traditional done well. But, Microsoft is committed to the platform, based on Reller"s statements, so it would seem that Windows RT is here for the long-haul and that the company has no plans to abandon the platform at this time.
For the consumer, having both options on the market should help to keep prices competitive. Although, Microsoft must do a better job moving forward to make it clear the differences between the RT and x86/x64 platforms to avoid brand confusion.
The idea of keeping ARM supported for the foreseeable future will certainly be good news for those who have purchased a Surface RT as it assures them that there device will be supported for the lifecycle of the device with new updates that should be on par with Windows 8.
Source: JP Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom Conference