Microsoft Corp will debut its Surface tablet computer on October 26 on the Chinese mainland, hoping to challenge Apple's iPad dominance in the market.

Microsoft Corp will debut its Surface tablet computer on October 26 on the Chinese mainland, hoping to challenge Apple's iPad dominance in the market.[File photo]

Cooperating with Chinese retailer Suning, the US software giant will sell the 32-gigabyte Surface tablet from 3,688 yuan (US$585), the same price of an entry-level 16GB new iPad.

The Surface tablet will also be offered at 4,488 yuan for a 32GB version that comes with a black Touch Cover, which is a thin cover that doubles as a keyboard and attaches to the tablet magnetically, and 5,288 yuan for a 64GB black Touch Cover version.

The Microsoft tablet, with pre-installed Windows and Office software, may also woo corporate users, observers said.

Microsoft is glad to provide Chinese consumers an "excellent digital experience" through Surface with installed Windows, Word, PowerPoint and Excel, Ralph Haupter, Microsoft China's chief executive, said in a statement yesterday.