There are strong rumors to indicate that Office will be released for iPad this fall. Microsoft would be shooting themselves in the foot not to release it.

Selling Surface at a loss would, without a shadow of a doubt, completely infuriate every Windows OEM on the planet even more than they are now. This would not be a good strategy going forward unless Microsoft intends to sever ties with OEMs as part of their broad goals.

Microsoft has a long road ahead of it. The only traction "Windows" has, is on the desktop. For mobile it's "less than zero." The general public doesn't actually want "Windows" they just want the most popular OS that they perceive is compatible with everyone else. That's always been Windows for the desktop, but Windows RT isn't going to have this draw.

And guess what happens if Windows OEMs stop supporting the platform? Microsoft can't hold the kinds of numbers it used to have without its OEMs. Not in the current market and not with the current company structure/mentality. This would need a long term fundamental shift toward Apple's model.