The Microsoft Surface 2 could be unveiled in June as a 7-inch version of its Microsoft Surface Pro tablet at the company’s Build Developer Conference.
According to DigiTimes, Microsoft will use the Build Developer Conference to launch the second-generation Microsoft Surface tablets. However, what’s interesting is that the tablets will reportedly “only feature 7- to 9-inch displays” attempting to cash in on the smaller tablet market successfully broached by Apple with the iPad mini.
If the information is correct though, Microsoft could launch several varieties of the Microsoft Surface 2 tablet at the conference, which runs from June 26 – 28.
It had been previously rumoured that Microsoft is working on a 7-inch expansion to its Surface range, but the potential iPad mini and Google Nexus 7 could be joined by a 9-inch addition more akin to the size of the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9.
The sources come from the “upstream supply chain” and supposedly confirm Microsoft won’t be using the 7- or 9-inch version to replace the existing Microsoft Surface RT and Microsoft Surface Pro tablets. Instead the smaller form factors would just be used to compliment and expand upon the current range.
Shortly prior to the official Microsoft Surface launch last year, an Xbox Surface device emerged online. Taking this into consideration, the second-generation Microsoft Surface tablet could feature some kind of Xbox crossover.
The next Microsoft Surface has already been tipped to be game centric, and before the official new Xbox 720 unveiling was announced for May 21, Microsoft Supersite owner Paul Thurrott tipped that new Xbox features would be seen at the Microsoft Build Developer Conference.
Potentially then, we could see Microsoft introducing a PS Vita like compatibility between the Xbox 720 and the Microsoft Surface 2.
Other than the potential Microsoft Surface 2 launch, Microsoft’s Build Developer Conference will focus on the Windows 8.1 or codename Windows Blue update and its improved compatibility with 7-inch and 8-inch slates.
We decide whether Microsoft is backtracking with Windows 8.1 Blue.
