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Asia 'sources' chat up smaller Microsoft Surface tablet

More talk of a smaller Surface tablet is coming from Asia. The report claims an 8-inch class tablet.

Brooke Crothers Former CNET contributor
Brooke Crothers writes about mobile computer systems, including laptops, tablets, smartphones: how they define the computing experience and the hardware that makes them tick. He has served as an editor at large at CNET News and a contributing reporter to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. His interest in things small began when living in Tokyo in a very small apartment for a very long time.
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A smaller Surface tablet seems likely.
A smaller Surface tablet seems likely. Microsoft

We know a smaller Surface product is likely in the works. But exactly how small isn't clear.

Digitimes has chimed in again claiming, this time, Microsoft will launch an 8-inch Surface tablet in June, citing sources at component suppliers.

"Microsoft will launch an 8-inch Surface tablet in June and a 10.x-inch model as early as the third quarter of 2013," Digitimes said.

The display for the 8-inch model will be supplied by Samsung, according to the report.

This differs from what DisplaySearch told CNET earlier this month: a future Microsoft tablet is expected to sport a 7.5-inch display, according to Richard Shim, an analyst at the market researcher.

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And that tablet isn't expected until later in the year, according to Shim.

There was another, earlier report from Digitimes, too, speculating that Microsoft would make an announcement at the Build Conference in June about smaller tablets.

No word on pricing though there have been rumors about $399 as a target.