Microsoft still planning smaller-sized Surface: report
A research analyst says a 7.5-inch version of the Surface tablet is still in the works for Microsoft.
Yesterday saw the launch of the refreshed line of Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets from Microsoft.
Conspicuously missing, however, was the 7.5-inch Surface that had been tipped back in May this year.
However, according to Rhoda Alexander, director of tablet and monitor research at IHS iSuppli, the smaller Surface is still in the works.
Speaking to CNET, Alexander said that her research suggests it will be a straight Surface tablet (rather than a Pro), with a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 1400x1050 resolution, 7.5-inch display. These details match the earlier ones from NPD DisplaySearch.
Earlier this year, Michael Angiulo, corporate vice president at Microsoft, told CNET that one of the key reasons for having an ARM chip-based tablet in the Surface line-up is the ability to add mobile broadband. This could suggest that the smaller Surface would have 3G/4G connectivity.
A 7.5-inch Surface would put Microsoft into the same space as the Apple Mini, the Google Nexus, Samsung's Note 8 and other 7- and 8-inch tablets in the market. We'd also expect the pricing to be lower than the Surface 2 range, which begins at AU$529.
The new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 won't be available until 22 October, although consumers are able to pre-order the devices now.