Microsoft's silver lining: Surface loses, but Windows wins

Microsoft Corp'slineup of Surface tablets, laptops and desktop computers has always been a paradox.The software company's surprise foray into hardware became a billion-dollar-plus business and even managed to outclass longtime rival Apple Incwith its Surface Studio desktop machine last fall, according to some tech critics.At the same time, the Surface range competes with Microsoft's longstanding PC maker partners, such as Dell Technologies, Lenovo Group Ltdand HP Inc , which pay billions of doll