When Microsoft launched the Surface Pro 3 late May this year, the company was also reported to be developing a small model that may be released on the market as Surface Mini any time in the near future. A recent report from Digitimes claims that a new Surface model is indeed in the works right now. Unfortunately, it’s not the Mini version contrary to what most people would expect.
The source added that a new 10.6-inch version of the Surface tablet is expected to debut in October this year, most likely as a remake of one of the existing Surface models. The report reveals that production of components for the new tablet is projected to debut in August.
Mass production of the tablet is expected to happen in September before the public launch scheduled for October, while sales would most likely start a month later, in November.
As far as the features of the new Surface are concerned, it seems that Microsoft is attempting to make this model slimmer and lighter, with sales expected to be better as compared to the existing versions that are already on the market.
The Surface Mini is obviously a mystery as of the moment, especially since Microsoft is speculated to be still considering such a project.
The Mini should hit the market in the form of an 8-inch note-taking device that is intended for students and teachers, replacing the traditional notebook and write or draw more efficiently. The Surface Mini was expected to ship with the same digital pen as the Surface Pro 3, which already provides state-of-the-art capabilities, such as OneNote integration.
As for the upcoming Surface model, there’s no doubt that the company is working to expand its tablet lineup, especially because it continues its efforts to switch the focus from software to other businesses, such as cloud and hardware.
CEO Satya Nadella has said on several occasions that Microsoft is set to be a mobile-first, cloud-first company. However, the software giant hasn’t said anything about the new Surface models, but it’s quite obvious that launching new tablets will be a more active player in the hardware business.
