Microsoft Surface business is profitable now
While Microsoft refashions itself as a productivity and platforms company, it’s also keeping a close eye on profits. A key sign of that was the company’s announcement late Thursday that its Surface tablet business was profitable in the September quarter. Microsoft (MSFT) is estimated to have lost $1.7 billion on Surface from its October 2012 launch through the June quarter, according to an analysis by Computerworld. Surface had lost money every quarter. But Microsoft “improved the business economics” of the product in its fiscal Q1, which ended Sept. 30, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said on a conference call with analysts. And the gross profit margin for Surface was positive last quarter, Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood announced, though she didn’t offer specifics. “Surface had strong results this quarter, driven by positive customer response to Surface Pro 3,” Nadella said. “The product lineup is the right one, and…