If there was one thing that commentators were all but certain about today’s Surface event in NYC it was that we would finally lay eyes on the hotly-rumored Surface Mini. But this didn’t come to pass. Sure, we have an incredible range of Surface Pro 3s to start saving up for, but the more diminutive tablet that so many people we looking forward to failed to materialize. What happened?
It seemed like it was a given that the ‘small gathering’ would be the event at which Microsoft unleashed the ARM-based Surface Mini on the world, but this time around it seemed that bigger and better was the name of the game. It’s not really accurate to say that the Mini has been delayed because Microsoft has not even announced its existence — thus far it has merely been assumed to be in the pipeline.
But numerous, usually reliable, sources have been talking about the Surface Mini recently. Was it all in their imagination? A series of cases of wishful thinking? Mary Jo Foley has a few theories about why there was no announcement made today. One theory is that the Surface Mini will not see the light of day until the touch-optimized version of Office, Gemini, is ready. This makes sense as the two would go hand in hand very nicely.
Another possibility is that, due to Terry Myerson’s dislike of Window RT, things are being put on hold until an ARM-optimized version of Windows that can be used on a Surface Mini as well as Windows Phones has been developed. Finally — and this seems quite feasible — it is possible that Microsoft simply does not feel the need to enter into an already saturated market. There are countless 8-inch tablets to choose from at the moment, but Surface Pro 3 is a truly unique product.
Or perhaps research has shown that, despite all of the bluster about Surface Mini, there just isn’t the demand for such a device. In all likelihood, it’s fairly safe to assume that a smaller Surface will emerge at some point — it would be strange if so many people were so wrong about it — but the question is when?
Are you disappointed that the Surface Mini was not unveiled today? Perhaps you’re happy that there’s a new addition at the top of the Surface range and don’t mind holding out a little longer for a smaller version. Maybe it doesn’t even exist! Share your thoughts below.
Further reading: Microsoft, Surface Mini
