GigaOM Pro

OK, so the initial reviews of the Surface are mixed, and I even took Microsoft to task for a $500 entry point. But I think this article‘s grave dancing on Microsoft’s new mobile efforts is a little premature.

Let’s be clear: The Surface has been in the market for less than two months, and I don’t think we’ll get a clear picture about how it’s doing until at least after the holidays.

Something else to keep in mind: Microsoft has indicated it is transitioning to more of a fast-iteration model, which is long overdue. The company’s biggest issue is that it’s still moving at the speed of 2001, a time when it controlled the market and before the mobile internet was a reality. Today it is seeing Apple become relevant in the enterprise and functionality that was formerly on the desktop sucked into the cloud.

I’m not as down on Microsoft as some, and I think the Surface and Windows Phone could be huge platforms. But Microsoft needs to iterate fast and release new upgrades every 12 months or less. The big test for it in coming years will be to see if it can do just that.