Microsoft's already struggling to meet Surface preorders

Consumers looking to pick up Microsoft’s Surface tablet might be in for a long, long wait.

While preorders for the 64 GB and 32GB Touch Cover models of the Surface will be available for the October 26th launch, the same can’t be said for the Touch Cover-less 32 GB model, which has a shipping time of  “within three weeks.”

While that wait time could mean any number of things, chances are it points to something really promising for Microsoft: The Surface has had enough preorders that the company can’t produce the devices fast enough.

That should naturally remind you of Apple, which is rarely able to meet demand for its devices nowadays. Consider the iPhone 5, which, while announced last month, still has a shipping estimate of 3 to 4 weeks. That’s a long time, though it isn’t deterring anyone from buying the device.

But while long shipping times are bad for those late-to-the-party Surface buyers,  they’re great news for Microsoft, which may actually, perhaps inconceivably, have a hit on its hands with the Surface.

Not so good for Microsoft, however, is that fewer Surface buyers seem interested in the models that come with the Touch Cover. While this could mean that the devices price tags are too steep, it’s also possible that buyers simply want the Touch Cover in a color that isn’t black.

Via CNet