Will we see Windows 8 tablets that are a lot smaller than the Surface products soon?
There have been hints and unconfirmed rumors that Microsoft was working to support new smaller Windows 8-powered touchscreen tablets. Today, Microsoft confirmed that those plans are indeed in the works, although it did not provide specific details.
As part of Microsoft"s quarterly conference call with investors, outgoing CFO Peter Klein stated that the company is working with PC OEMs to develop these smaller Windows 8 touchscreens devices for launch in the near future. Details about these products, including which PC makers will be releasing these products and their sizes, along with their prices and launch dates, were not revealed.
In March, Microsoft quietly lowered the minimal resolution for Windows 8 tablets to 1024x768, down from the previous requirement of a 1366x768 resolution. This would seem to be a intermediate step to allowing for PC OEM makers to create smaller, and most likely cheaper, Windows 8 tablets. Microsoft did say that if a PC maker launches a Windows 8 tablet with a 1024x786 resolution for its screen, the PC OEM maker must state up front to the consumer that such a tablet will not support the snap view feature for Windows 8 Modern apps.
Microsoft is rumored to be working on a 7- or 8-inch tablet, likely as the new low-end device for the company"s Surface line.
Source: Microsoft Investor Call | Image via Microsoft