Microsoft Surface Pro and RT tablets are on sale. The deep Surface discounts are available to Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC 2013) attendees. The tablet sale sets the stage for a long-rumored Surface channel partner program, industry sources say.

In a blog post, Microsoft (MSFT) Channel Chief Jon Roskill wrote on June 20, 2013: “From July 7th through July 11th, 2013, WPC attendees will be able to purchase Surface RT and Surface Pro for:

The special offer promoted a new round of emails to The VAR Guy from multiple sources close to Microsoft. Each of them re-confirmed that they expect a Surface channel partner program to emerge soon — perhaps at WPC 2013, in fact.

Either way, Microsoft’s priorities seem clear:

Microsoft faces an uphill battle. Surface had less than 2 percent market share in the worldwide tablet industry for Q1 2013, according to IDC. In Microsoft’s defense, the company has only gradually introduced Surface to more and more markets worldwide — meaning that initial sales may have been artificially constrained.

Plus, Microsoft has yet to introduce a formalized Surface partner program. Still, discounted tablets at WPC seem to set the stage for that official partner program… (Please, Jon?)