As of Tuesday, customers can now pre-order Microsoft's Surface, and the Redmond-based company appears to be banking on some impressive sales.
The Wall Street Journal's Lorraine Luk writes that Microsoft has "placed orders to produce 3 million to 5 million" Surface tablets in the fourth quarter of this year, according to component suppliers in Asia. "That is similar to the orders that were placed for Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets and Google’s Nexus 7 tablets, these suppliers say," Luk notes.
A previous report suggested that Apple may have ordered as over 10 million of the yet-to-be-announced smaller iPad — often referred to as the iPad Mini. This new device is expected to be unveiled on Oct. 23, during a press event held in San Jose, Calif., and — according to rumors — may hit shelves one to two weeks later.
Microsoft's Surface begins shipping on Oct. 26.
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