14 DAY TRIAL // Rumor has it that Microsoft is working on a smaller tablet that could compete with the iPad mini and Nexus 7, but it might seem like the company has already completed development and is ready to present the device for the first time next week at BUILD.
Win8China is reporting that the BUILD 2014 developer conference in San Francisco, which kicks off next week, could also witness the first public appearance of the Surface Mini, even though nobody has talked about the device lately.
Although such an unveiling could clearly surprise the audience, it wouldn’t be surprising at all, as Microsoft has been using the BUILD conference to present new products and collect feedback from developers for several years.
As far as specifications are concerned, nobody knows anything for sure about the Surface Mini, but previous reports pointed out that such a device would most likely be supposed not only to expand the Surface product family, but also to give Microsoft a chance against devices that are already experiencing a terrific success, such as the iPad mini and Nexus 7.
An 8-inch screen is very likely to be installed on the Nexus 7, but some sources familiar with the company’s plans also explained that Microsoft could go for a 7-inch display. Of course, the device would run Windows RT 8.1, which would receive several tweaks to run on smaller tablets and be used in both landscape and portrait mode easier.
The Surface Mini would obviously be a fairly affordable device and early price speculation pointed to a tag of no less than $250 (€180). That’s hard to believe though, even if Microsoft has recently decided to cut Windows licensing fees and bring more affordable devices to the market.
Last but not least, the Surface Mini would come with the key features of its biggest brothers, including USB connectivity, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and microSD ports. It’s not yet clear whether Microsoft is also planning to offer an LTE SKU, but if such an option is offered from the very beginning, expect it to be added to the Surface Mini lineup in the coming months.
Of course, take everything with a grain of salt until we hear something official from Microsoft, but given the fact that BUILD developer conference is only a few days away, let’s just hope that Redmond could spill the beans on what’s next for the Surface product family a bit earlier.