Microsoft All Surface Access a bet that hardware as a service can work (with Office 365 support)

Microsoft unveiled its Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Studio 2, as well as a new attempt to sell its hardware with a subscription model, this time with the bet that the Surface hardware and Office 365 will change the buying behavior.

While the new Microsoft systems have attracted attention as well as the new helmets, the most interesting element was perhaps a program called Surface All Access. To put it in context, Surface All Access replaced a program called Surface Plus, a financing effort ending August 31, to move more Surface devices. Surface Plus replaced Surface as a service.

Add it and Microsoft is developing a regular surface funding rate. Every year, Microsoft tries to sell Surface devices again as a subscription package. If at first you do not succeed …

Anyway, Microsoft's Surface All Access seems to bet on the fact that the Office 365 associated with the hardware will be attractive with Windows 10. The program is offered through Dell Financing and rhymes with the models of financing by telecommunications providers. Since smartphones are as expensive as laptops – and even more so in some cases – a 24-month funding option makes sense.

The Surface Pro 6 starts at $ 899, the Surface Laptop 2 at $ 999 and the Surface Studio 2 at $ 3,499.

Look also: Microsoft Office 365 for Business: Everything You Need to Know

Will consumers and small businesses bite? It's vague. Surface All Access has a cultural problem in that people are used to buying and owning personal computers. Desktop models as a service have not yet taken off in the business. As a result, the level of protection for consumers and SMEs can be even higher.

Enter Office 365. Since Office 365 will earn you $ 10.99 a month as an individual, a joint Surface-Office set starting at $ 24.99 may not be excessive. However, this $ 24.99 price is for a Surface Go and Office 365 package.

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Monthly rates go up from there. Consider:

• A Surface Book 2 package starts at $ 54.96 per month with no down payment or assistance. Dell Preferred Account service underpins subscriptions.
• The Surface Pro package starts at $ 47.87 per month, with the choice of Type Cover and Office 365.
• A Surface Surface fee starts at $ 46.63 per month.
• And the Surface Studio bundle starts at $ 150.79 a month.
• Aside from the Surface Studio kit, available November 15th, these Surface All Access kits are available October 16th.

Surface All Access customers must request a Dell Preferred account, select a bundle, and select a Dell Preferred Account when checking out.

Does Surface All Access work? May be. Otherwise, Microsoft will probably have a new plan next year. Microsoft is convinced that a leasing and / or subscription approach will work for its hardware. And Microsoft has always been pretty persistent.