Microsoft has been rumored for quite some time to be working on a smaller Surface tablet, but the company has yet to make such plans official. However, Neowin says the tablet may be closer to launch than customers expect, with Microsoft now rumored to release it at some point in the second quarter of the year. According to the report, Microsoft’s Surface mini launch delay was intentional – a business decision – and not the result of Microsoft not being able to meet demand for Surface 2 and Surface mini tablets when it comes to production.
According to the publication, the smaller Windows tablet will be marketed as a note taking device rather than a productivity power horse. Thus, the Surface mini will come with support for pen input, “a proper pen, too, not an old-fashion stylus,” and could include additional or customized software to take advantage of the feature, as Microsoft is apparently interested in making the mini “’the best note-taking tablet’ on the market.”
“Why note taking? Microsoft likes to market products at what they are designed to be used for, and for the Surface mini, it will be all about taking notes, Neowin writes. “That’s not really a surprise; Microsoft wants the Surface brand to represent functionality and entertainment across the gamut, and with Surface 2 coming with Office out of the box, they want the Surface mini to be associated with note-taking.”
Pricing details for the smaller Surface mini tablet, as well as full specs of the device have not been revealed yet.
