With recent rumours of a Microsoft smartphone setting the rumour mill spinning Microsoft kicks the mill into top gear with news of a new Surface tablet.

According to website the Verge Microsoft has big plans for the mini tablet market, adding an Xbox twist to the now crowded 7 inch tablet market, an Xbox Surface twist. The development process is still in the early stages, with dev hardware in use at a number of high security facilities in Silicon Valley.

Earlier in the year a series of leaked documents purported to summarize the new tablets hardware specs. The latest rumours confirm the specification as; a 1280×720 display, SD card slot and the usual assortment of communications standards WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC. The operating system will be a customized version of Windows 8, built for gaming. Internally Microsoft is said to be working on its own custom chips, with the possibility that both Intel and ARM based tablets are to be manufactured, in the same way there are both RT and Pro Surface’s.

How far Microsoft will take the Xbox integration is still unclear. Done well, with the ability to continue gaming on the big screen as you arrive home, transferring the live game at the press of a button, this could be a major platform breakthrough.

Microsoft realises the Windows RT operating system still needs much work, it is a tad buggy. For this reason we shouldn’t expect Microsoft to rush the Xbox Surface or new Smartphone to market. Expect them to appear next year, as well as the Xbox 720.

Manufacturing of the new smaller Surface is being kept under wraps. Microsoft has also refused to reveal where the larger Surface is manufactured, as the story goes Microsoft is said to have built their own super secret factory in China to produce the 10 inch Surface in low volumes.

2013 is quickly turning into a pivotal year for the once mighty Microsoft. Can they continue to be a powerhouse in the fastest changing market in the world, technology, or will they fade into the pages of history? Above all can they sell their vision to a brave new world? Here at Highpants all we know is, its fun watching elephants learn to dance.

Reference: The Verge

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