Microsoft's Surface tablet said to come with only Wi-Fi

Microsoft's much talked about Surface tablet may be Wi-Fi only, according to Bloomberg.

The news agency reports that people familiar with the tablet's specs say the device will go on sale without any mobile-phone network connection, but will come with a short-range Wi-Fi connection. This could change in later models.

Surface will be running Microsoft's next-generation Windows operating system and marks the company's first foray into the ever-expanding tablet market. Though the software giant has unveiled Surface, it has yet to release all the details on the specifications.

Apparently, the tablet is thought to be a direct competitor to Apple's iPad. Network accessibility could hinder this goal, however. The new iPad, which went on sale in March, comes equipped with LTE and has the option of a mobile-phone chip, according to Bloomberg. Users can also buy the iPad's Wi-Fi-only model if they prefer.

According to Bloomberg, Microsoft plans to start selling the Surface later this year and will be working with Apple's iPhone-maker, Pegatron, to manufacture the tablet.

CNET contacted Microsoft for comment. We'll update the story when we get more information.