Sam Oliver
References to a "Surface Mini" discovered in the user manual for Microsoft's latest tablet foray suggest that the software giant scrapped or delayed the long-rumored 8-inch variant — which would have gone up against Apple's iPad mini — at the last minute, opting to put all of their eggs in the larger basket.
The manual makes at least four references to the more diminutive version of Microsoft's tablet, referring to processes for pairing and using the Surface Pen with the Surface Mini. Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrott first discovered the references and they were published by PC World.
Microsoft was widely expected to unveil a smaller, ARM-based version of the Surface at their media event late last month. Instead, the company only showed off the Intel-powered Surface Pro 3, leading to reports that the smaller variant had been pulled at the last minute — whispers now backed up by the recent discoveries.
Surface chief Panos Panay seemed to confirm that the Mini was still in the works during an "ask me anything" session on social news site Reddit following the May event.
"As you've likely already read, we've said all along that we have a roadmap of products," Panay said at the time. "Exactly what they look like and precisely when they might come to market, you'll have to wait and see."
The iPad mini has proved popular for Apple, with its two variants — one with a Retina display, one without — taking some 41 percent of Apple's tablet sales over the holidays. It is unclear how that might change if Apple follows through on rumors of a 5.5-inch "phablet" version of the iPhone, with many consumers likely to consider the slightly smaller device in favor of simplification.
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34 Comments
It must be hard to be Microsoft....
My guess is that Microsoft will replace the Surface RT line with the Surface Mini. They released a Surface Pro 3, but not a Surface 3. By not refreshing their RT line, my guess is they chalked it up to a failure and planning something else like a Mini.
Microsoft scrapped iPad mini competitor late in development process, documents suggest
At least the bigger model can somewhat pretend to be a compromised laptop of sorts. A smaller Surface, without a reasonable selection of touchable apps, no good support for legacy Windows apps and only limited means to add a remotely usable keyboard... is no product at all, only a next-of-Kin.
Judging by the Surace line that DID ship, the Surface Mini would have been about three inches thick... with an optional added-cost keyboard that isn't as nice as the real laptop-style keys found in the Logitech iPad covers that Mictosoft copied.
[QUOTE]The manual makes at least four references to the more diminutive version of Microsoft's tablet...[/QUOTE] Should be easy to fix. I'm sure Word has a global replace / delete feature. Doesn't it?