By Michael Oleaga / m.oleaga@latinospost.com (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Mar 15, 2013 03:48 PM EDT

Microsoft's Surface sales have reportedly been leaked and it might not be good news for the company.

According to Bloomberg, the Surface tablet, including the Surface with Windows RT and Surface with Windows 8 Pro, was purchased 1.5 million times. The figure comes from "people with knowledge of the company's sales," and is considered to be a "slow start" in Microsoft's bid to become a player in the tablet market.

Three insiders, who wish to remain anonymous, stated Microsoft ordered three million Surface with Windows RT tablets but have sold a little more than a million while about 400,000 units of the Surface with Windows 8 Pro were sold.

The Surface with Windows RT made its release in late October while the Surface with Windows 8 Pro launched in mid-February.

UBS AG analyst Brent Thrill predicted Microsoft would've sold two million units of the Surface with Windows RT during the December quarter alone, which is a far cry from the 22.9 million iPads sold in the same quarter by Apple.

According to the IDC, 128.3 million tablets were sold in 2012 with Apple's tablets accounting for 51 percent of the market share.

The alleged number of Surface sales comes after a turbulent stock time for the 128GB of the Surface with Windows 8 Pro tablet. As Latinos Post has been following, the 128GB model has been receiving "out of stock" status or shipping delays on several occasions since its Feb. 16 debut. As of March 15, the stock and shipping issues have been resolved.

The Surface tablet is also set to make its worldwide debuts starting this month. The Surface with Windows RT will be available in Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, and Taiwan later this month. The Surface with Windows 8 Pro will also be available in the "coming months" to New Zealand, as well as Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom.

The Surface with Windows RT is priced at $499 for the 32GB-tablet only variant $599 for the 64GB tablet-only variant. Customers who want to add a black Touch Cover need to add an additional $100. The Surface with Windows 8 Pro is priced at $899 for the 64GB model while the 128GB model is $999.

Related Articles:

- Microsoft Surface Pro News: CEO Steve Ballmer 'Super-Glad' with Tablet, Says Surface Won't Dominate Volume

- Microsoft Surface Pro Review Roundup: Battery Life, Price, Weight Among Issues with Windows 8 Pro Tablet Critics, click here.

- Microsoft Surface RT Sales In China: 'Low' One Percent Shipped Last Quarter; Apple, Android Presence Increase

- Microsoft Surface Mini Rumors: Small Tablet Likely to Compete Against iPad Mini, Amazon Kindle, Says Microsoft CFO