Microsoft drops ‘Surface RT’ name in favor of ‘Surface’, removes the default desktop tile

Goodbye Surface RT, it was nice knowing you. Microsoft has revealed today that they have dropped the ‘RT’ brand name on the original Surface device. Now, Microsoft will be referring to the original Surface RT as simply the Surface. This coincides with the company’s launch of the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2.

“To stay consistent with the naming structure of our new offerings, Surface RT is now referred to as ‘Surface,’” Microsoft stated. Microsoft didn’t use the RT name in the new Surface 2 device in an attempt to avoid confusion, as admitted by the company in a recent interview.

“We think that there was some confusion in the market last year on the difference between Surface RT and Surface Pro. We want to help make it easier for people, and these are two different products designed for two different people,” Microsoft’s product marketing manager for Surface, Jack Cowett, stated.

As you can see from the online Microsoft Store, the Surface is listed for $349 (starting price) and is labeled as “daring” and “original.”

On top of the name change, Microsoft has also removed the default desktop tile that appears in the Start Screen in Windows RT 8.1. Apparently, new Windows RT 8.1 devices will default to the Start Screen without a desktop tile. This obviously makes it harder to use the desktop. Of course, this will spark some controversy and some heated debates online.

How do you feel about these changes?