Before Microsoft introduced the Surface Pro 3, the tablet that would later push the company's tumbling devices revenue closer towards the green zone, Microsoft was also working on the Surface Mini. The device was rumoured to be launched alongside the Pro 3, but the company at the last moment decided against it. It is finally publicly confirming that there was a Surface Mini.
In an interview with Wired, Panos Panay, Microsoft's Corporate VP revealed the existence of the Surface Mini, which would have been the smallest tablet in the company's Surface lineup with a 7-inch display. "It was awesome," said Panay, who noted that he used to keep the tablet at his bedside, using it to jot down quick notes at night.
Rumour had it that the device was powered by a Qualcomm SoC paired with 1GB of RAM, and ran Windows RT 8.1. It was also pegged to have a USB port, and rocked a microSD slot. A Surface Pro 3 user manual had accidentally mentioned its miniature sibling a month after its release.
It was rumoured that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop cancelled the Surface Mini moments before the launch. It was understandable why the company didn't decide to unveil the Surface Mini - the Surface lineup wasn't very successful back in the day. But things have changed dramatically over the last one year.
The Surface Pro 3 has been praised by both users and experts alike. The Surface Pro 4, which was launched earlier this month, offers substantial improvement over its predecessor. So, perhaps the company may decide to launch a smaller Surface tablet in the coming month. Panay wouldn't say.
No word on what Microsoft did with all the Surface Mini inventory.
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