Microsoft is said to be working on a Surface Mini tablet, which will launch this year to compete with the upcoming iPad mini 2.
Rumors of the Surface Mini have been floating in the tablet space for quite some time and now more rumors about the hardware specifications of the tablet have emerged, giving us a glimpse into what the device may pack in.
Microsoft recently launched the second-generation Surface tablets on Sept. 23. Some tablet enthusiasts believed that the compact Surface Mini will launch along with the 10.6-inch tablets, but the Surface Mini did not make an appearance at the event.
The company has entered the tablet market with the launch of its full-sized 10.6-inch Surface tablets in 2012. However, the first generation of the Surface tablets failed to meet Microsoft's sales expectation. Microsoft has already launched the second generation of its Surface tablets in the hope that it will attract more customers. If the company enters the smaller tablet segment with the Surface Mini tablet, it may give stiff competition to other tablets in its category such as the upcoming iPad mini 2, new Nexus 7 and more.
"While Microsoft is announcing the initial two second generation Surface devices tomorrow (sic Sept. 23), I don't expect them to launch until October 18, 2013, when Windows 8.1 hits the streets. Perhaps Surface 'mini' will ship later, in November. But I've not heard," reports WinSuperSite.
According to a recent CNET report, the upcoming Surface Mini tablet is expected to have a 7.5-inch display with 4:3 aspect ratio and a 1,400 x 1,050 pixels resolution. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor specifically optimized for longer battery life and enhanced performance may power the Surface Mini tablet. The rumored Microsoft tablet may also come in 3G and 4G versions.
We don't know about the price of the Surface Mini tablet but with the Surface 2 tablet announced at a starting price tag of $449, we are hopeful that the Surface Mini will have a starting retail value of around $350.
With iPad mini 2 expected to debut in October this year and the new Nexus 7 already revealed, the competition in the smaller tablet market has already increased. It will be interesting to see if the Surface Mini is able to successfully compete with its rivals and make a mark for itself in the smaller tablet market.
