Microsoft is winding down production and sales for its Surface 3 tablet.

This likely doesn't come as news if you've been perusing the Microsoft Store to buy one at any point recently. The only model currently available is one that comes with 64GB of storage, 2GB of memory, and Wi-Fi plus 4G LTE capabilities (all for $500).

Otherwise, every other version of the Surface 3 on Microsoft's site is listed as "Email me when available" if you're trying to order it online. We somehow doubt you'll be getting very many emails about these.

"Since launching Surface 3 over a year ago, we have seen strong demand and satisfaction amongst our customers. Inventory is now limited and by the end of December 2016, we will no longer manufacture Surface 3 devices," reads a statement from Microsoft, as reported by Thurrott.com.

So what, then becomes of Microsoft's entry-level tablet? Right now, there aren't any hard signs that Microsoft is planning to make a Surface 4—the logical jump for its Surface 3 tablet, which could be a good counterbalance against the Surface Pro 4 ($649.99 at Amazon) . Also, doing so would leave the future of the Surface Pro 3 ($649.99 at Amazon) in jeopardy: where might that 2-in-1 fit within Microsoft's lineup?

According to Microsoft sources speaking to ZDNet, the company is trying to figure out whether it wants to release a Surface 3 successor or not. If it does, odds are good that the hardware would hit once Windows 10's next major update and feature dump arrives in spring of 2017—Windows 10 "Redstone 2." At least, it makes sense that Microsoft would want to combine the launch of new Windows 10 features with new Windows 10 hybrid tablet/laptops on which the updated OS would work.

It's also possible that the notion of an entry-level device just doesn't make sense for Microsoft's Surface brand, especially if these devices are meant to combine the elegance of an Apple product with the usability of a Windows-based device.

Critics blasted the Surface 3 for its slower Intel Atom processor and eMMC storage (instead of a full-fledged solid-state drive), as well as so-so battery life. The hybrid 2-in-1 was more suited for lighter Windows tasks, rather than a richer Windows 10 experience—something you'd have to look to the "Pro" variants for, if you wanted to do a bit more with your device sans performance bottlenecks.

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