14 DAY TRIAL // Despite the modest performance of its Surface lineup in the last couple of years, Microsoft is ready to continue investments in this regard, so the company is expected to debut two new models later this year, most likely after the public launch of Windows 10.
A report published by Yahoo News claims that Microsoft is planning to unveil not only the successor of the Surface Pro 3, but also a completely new model that would take on the Nexus 7 and the iPad mini in the small tablet industry.
Of course, these reports are yet to be confirmed, but it should not come as a big surprise that Microsoft is working to expand its hardware lineup, especially now that it's working to bring a new Windows operating system to the market.
Surface 4
First and foremost, the next version of the Surface Pro 3 is likely to be called just Surface 4, as development of the RT model has already been dropped. And yet, given the fact that Microsoft is also working on a smaller tablet, the Surface Pro 4 moniker could also be used to better differentiate the available models.
Just like the Pro 3, the new tablet will be offered as a laptop replacement and according to the aforementioned report, it's very likely to feature a 12-inch screen with a resolution of 2160x1440 pixels, several connectivity ports, and a removable keyboard that'll make it a fully-featured laptop.
Windows 10 will be offered from the get-go to turn this device into a really powerful productivity workhorse wherever you go.
Surface Mini
As far as the smaller Surface is concerned, this isn't the first time we're hearing that such a device is in the making at Microsoft.
The Surface Mini is likely to come with an 8-inch display and could be marketed as a note-taking device that would make it just perfect for students and teachers who want to replace the traditional notebook.
Microsoft previously canceled the release of the Surface Mini, claiming that it didn’t bring anything new as compared to existing devices, but it turns out that the company is finally ready to give it a shot this year.