There's a new rumor that Microsoft is going forward with adding a new Surface to join the Surface RT and Surface Pro. It's being reported that Microsoft plans on releasing a smaller 7.9-inch Surface tablet. The screen size of the display tells you whom Microsoft has in its sights, the iPad mini and its 7.9-inch display.
Microsoft has already confirmed that it would be providing an update to Windows 8 with Windows Blue 8.1. One of the major features Microsoft has added to the update is support for smaller displays. This will allow Microsoft and its licensees to compete more aggressively with tablets like the iPad mini, Kindle Fire HD, Nexus 7, and Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
DigiTimes is reporting that Microsoft plans to release the 7.9-inch Surface at the end of June. The site also claims that Microsoft has contracted Samsung to build the displays for the Surface mini. It's not clear if Microsoft will release two Surface minis, similar to the Surface Pro running the full version of Windows 8, and the Surface RT which runs a scaled down version of the operating system.
Small-sized tablets have become so popular that Apple's iPad mini now outsells its larger and more powerful sibling. Sales of Amazon's Kindle Fire HD have been a huge success for Amazon and Android and the Kindle Fire HD is the most popular Android tablet on the market.
If the rumors are true Microsoft will not only be going up against the current iPad mini. It will also go head-to-head with the iPad mini 2 and an updated Nexus 7 with a full HD display. The iPad mini 2 is expected to include a Retina Display, something the first-generation lacked and caused criticism for Apple. Despite the criticism, Apple's iPad and iPad mini are the kings of the large tablet and small tablet world by a long shot.
Maybe this could be the Surface that turns things around for Microsoft. According to IDC Microsoft holds 1.8 percent of the tablet market with its Surface Pro and Surface RT. Microsoft is not known to give up just because it doesn't have the market share it would like. Remember the Zune?
