Back in January, Microsoft confirmed that production of its Surface 2 tablet had ended - hardly a surprise, given that the device was first unveiled back in September 2013. Rumors in late 2014 that a "Surface 3" was on the way ultimately amounted to nothing - but a report published today claims that a new Surface tablet is actually in development.
WinBeta claims that the new device will be launched "soon", and calls it "a successor to the Surface 2", despite not being based upon Windows RT as its implied predecessors were. Instead, the new tablet is expected to launch with Windows 8.1 onboard, and will be upgradeable to Windows 10 later this year.
The death of the Surface 2 left a big gap in Microsoft"s product range, between its Lumia smartphones and the premium Surface Pro 3, which starts at $799. The new tablet will slot into that gap with more modest specs than the Pro 3 - but unlike the earlier Windows RT models, it won"t be limited to only running "Modern" apps.
The device is said to run either an Intel Atom or Core M processor with a fanless design, and will be "marketed as a non-pro" device, according to the report.
Pricing remains a mystery for now, but the wait shouldn"t be too long for more information, assuming these details are correct. The new Surface will reportedly be announced at Microsoft"s Build 2015 developer conference, which will be held in San Francisco from April 29.
Source: WinBeta