Microsoft Surface Mini Release Date: Rumored 8-Inch Tablet Incl. 8” Size, Air Gesture Controls, 1080P Display; Will This Have The Full Windows 8.1?

Microsoft Surface Mini release date: Specs of the 8-inch tablet has already been unveiled and there have been speculations on when we’ll see the smaller version of the Surface line of tablets. But a key question remains: Will this be powered with Windows 8.1 or have the watered down Windows RT 8.1?

Phone Arena reported that the Microsoft Surface Mini is likely to be an 8-inch tablet, will sport air gestures and have a 1080P display. Phone Arena noted that it’s likely to arrive sometime this year. It’s expected to have Windows 8.1 and a Bay Trail chipset to ensure longevity. It wasn’t distinguish if the Windows OS in question is the full 8.1 version available in some ultrabooks and tablets or the RT version.

According to Phone Arena, news sources claim that the upcoming Windows tablet will have some sort of Kinect-like air gesture technology, though there are no leaks or speculations on how such features would be implemented.

Microsoft Surface Mini and is possible arrival in the market was fueled by a comment made by a key Microsoft executive in charge for the Redmond tech-giant’s Surface division. It seems his suggestion has sparked all the rumors on comments on a coming Surface Mini device.

“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, Geekwire.com reports.

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”.

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.

There have been no speculations or leaks if the Surface Mini may have an appearance whatsoever at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas next week.