Microsoft Surface Mini Release Date: Smaller Windows-Tablet Hinted Executive’s Comments Relating To ‘Multiple Aspect Ratios And Sizes’ In Development For Surface

Rumors about a Microsoft Surface mini was only fueled by a comment made by a key Microsoft executive in charge for the Redmond tech-giant’s Surface division.

“We have a lot of great things that we are thinking about and working on, and there are multiple aspect ratios and sizes and awesome things to come from Surface,” was the answer of Panos Panay's, Microsoft VP responsible for the company’s Surface tablets, when asked about the details of the rumored Microsoft Surface Mini, according to Geekwire.com.

It was the Surface 2’s previously announced details that were the focus of the talk but in the end Panay was questioned about the speculation relating to Microsoft’s plan of working on a “Surface Mini”. Panay however was too careful with his words when he answered it and added to his earlier comments, “That’s the best answer I have for you”.

The Microsoft executive and his team are attempting to win the interest of consumers to opt for the tablets they are marketing. It was last week that the company unveiled Surface Pro 2 and the Surface 2 at Seattle University Village’s Microsoft Store; however its preview was presented for over an hour last night by Panay and Windows hardware scientist Stevie Bathiche.

Although for now the horizontal orientation remains the only choice, Microsoft is working on enhancing the hardware with the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. This is in line with existing concern about the Surface device’s landscape orientation, making the tablets bulky for portrait mode use.

Panay repeated what he first mentioned in last week’s Reddit Q&A about the plan of Microsoft to come out next year with Surface 2 having an LTE enabled version. He stressed out however that a version of the Surface Pro 2 with LTE isn’t possible although the devices, as he expects it, will be initially available in the U.S. on AT&T and Vodafone in Europe.

It was due to the failed expectation of the company in the sales of Surface RT that resulted to take a $900 million charge against its income. In line with this, most of Panay’s remarks last night were focused on the enhanced performance, accessories, apps and features of Surface RT’s successor –the Surface 2, which struggled to compete Apple’s iPad.

Microsoft’s revamped Surface 2 has Google’s Nexus device, Amazon’s new Kindle Fire HDX, the Samsung Galaxy Tabs and some of the other Android-based tablets on its list as its competition. According to Panay, Microsoft’s second-generation ARM-based Surface device symbolizes considerable improvement over the previous.

Panay also talked about Intel-based Surface Pro 2’s improvement relating its battery life. Emphasizing that depending on how it is used, the 75% increase in battery life means total usage of 7 to 10 hours. Thus there is an average of about 4 hours of use for the current Surface Pro. “I use the Surface 2 on a daily basis. It is lightning fast, and it comes with Office,” said Panay “Ultimately you have a product here that gives you the full promise of being the most productive thing you can buy.”

Among the crowd that gathered last night are some existing Surface owners, one of them said “I have a Surface Pro and I love it, and I feel like it’s the best thing ever. I feel like the general populace of American doesn’t agree. How are you trying to fix that?” To have this concern addressed, Panay responded “I’m a firm believer that if you make great products, and you love those products, and you believe in what you’re making, people will learn to love them, as well.”