14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft was expected to launch the Surface Mini on May 20, but contrary to all reports coming from sources with a good track on the company’s products, Redmond actually decided to present the Surface Pro 3 and say absolutely nothing about a smaller tablet.
Now a new source says that Microsoft might still bring the Surface Mini to the market this summer, probably in an attempt to expand the Surface lineup and thus tackle the small tablet business as well.
People familiar with Microsoft’s plans said in late May that CEO Satya Nadella and Stephen Elop, currently in charge of the devices unit within the company, decided that the Surface Mini must be delayed because it doesn’t bring anything new as compared to the existing models that are already up for grabs and running iOS or Android.
What’s more, word is that Microsoft already produced around 20,000 mini tablets before making the decision to delay the project, so the company could actually decide to bring it to the market in an attempt to sell the existing inventory.
As a result, the Surface Mini might actually be available in limited numbers and only to select buyers, with the initial feedback to help Microsoft determine whether it should produce additional units or not.
The Surface Mini was expected to come with an 8-inch screen and be sold as a note-taking device which could replace the traditional pen and piece of paper. The digital pen that’s currently available for Surface Pro 3 buyers would have also been offered to Surface Mini customers, offering great functionality in Microsoft OneNote and other applications.
The Surface Mini was also expected to be a fairly affordable device, with a price tag of around $250 (€180) expected to be at least considered if it ever hit the market.
Of course, nobody knows for sure whether Microsoft is indeed ready to push the Surface Mini to the market, but if it does, expect the tablet to come with several improvements in terms of features.
As for the launch date, Microsoft might actually unveil it in mid-August when the company is also said to be rolling Windows 8.1 Update 2. The Surface Mini could run this OS version from the very beginning, obviously in RT form, as the tablet could be powered by an ARM chip.
Take everything with a pinch of salt for now, as we’ve reached out to Microsoft for a comment on this. Still, do not expect more than a simple “no comment.”