Microsoft will replace defective Surface Pro power cords for free

Microsoft has confirmed that it will be offering replacement AC power cords to owners of Surface Pro tablets who have encountered problems with the cords that originally came with the devices.

“As a result of damage caused by AC power cords being wound too tightly, twisted or pinched over an extended period of time, a very small proportion of Surface Pro customers have reported issues with their AC power cord,” a Microsoft spokesperson told VentureBeat in an email. “We will be releasing details of how customers can obtain a free replacement cable shortly.”

The offer will apply to Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, and Surface Pro 3 tablets that people bought before March 15, 2015 in the U.S. and Canada, and before July 15, 2015 in other countries, the spokesperson wrote.

Earlier today ZDNet reported on the plan to do a recall.

This isn’t the best thing to see for the Microsoft Surface line, given that it has made so much headway in the world of consumer devices. Apple now fields the iPad Pro that runs iOS, Google has the Pixel C, Samsung earlier this month announced the Galaxy TabPro S, and Huawei will announce its own Surface competitor later this year, as VentureBeat originally reported.

The Surface line isn’t perfectly unstained, either. In 2013 Microsoft announced a $900 million write-down for the Surface RT.

Update on January 21: Microsoft has officially announced the replacement offer in a blog post and now has a dedicated website where people can see if they’re eligible and, if so, sign up.