Following the emergence of rumours related to the next generation Surface Pro tablet, details about the second generation Windows RT-based Surface tablet have appeared online.
According to
Neowin.net, the next iteration of Microsoft's Surface RT tablet will be called Surface 2 and that the tablet will run on Windows RT 8.1, the next iteration of the ARM-based version of Microsoft's Windows 8.1 OS.
According to the report, the tablet will be powered by Nvidia's Tegra 4 CPU and will sport a 1080p (full-HD) screen. It adds that the tablet will come with a two-step style kickstand and that the memory will also get bumped to 4GB of RAM.
Paul Thurrott of Supersite for Windows also
adds that the Surface 2 will look identical to the current Surface RT, though he has seen images of a White version of the tablet so a White colour variant is also possible. He mentions that the tablet will sport a 10.6-inch, ClearType Full HD (1920 x 1080, or 1080p) display and will offer a battery life of up to 8 hours.
The Surface 2 is expected to sport VaporMg (magnesium) casing, an integrated two-position kickstand, a ClearType Full HD display, front and rear-facing cameras, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, a full-sized USB 3.0 port, microSD expansion up to 64 GB, and an HD video-out port, in addition to including Office Home & Student 2013 RT (with Outlook RT).
Last week, the same websites reported
that the Surface Pro 2, the Windows 8.1 Pro version (x86) of the Surface will be powered by fourth-generation Intel core 'Haswell' processors, most likely an Intel Core i5 model, and is expected to come with an option of up to 8GB RAM.
Earlier today,
Microsoft sent out invitations to a September 23 event at which it is expected to unveil these new Surface tablets, Windows offerings positioned to challenge iPads and Android devices dominating the market. Microsoft is also struggling to remain relevant as Internet age lifestyles shift from traditional computers to smartphones and tablets, and its latest generation of operating systems (Windows 8, RT and Phone 8) have been designed to fit that very requirement.
Microsoft last month knocked $100 off the price of high-end versions of its Surface tablet, with software giant's online store offering US consumers the Surface Pro for $799 or $899, depending on memory capacity, down from $899 and $999 respectively.
The Surface RT (
Review I
Pictures) is more basic and ARM version of the tablet, which got a 30 percent price cut earlier in the year (slashed to $349 from $499). The promotion came on the heels of shabby tablet sales that resulted in Microsoft taking a $900 million charge against fourth quarter earnings, which closed at the end of June.
*Written with agency inputs