According to a new report from The Verge, Microsoft is preparing to launch its own 7-inch tablet, similar to the way Apple did with its iPad mini. Instead of the new tablet being a smaller version of its recently launched 10-inch Surface tablet, Microsoft is rumored to be working on a gaming-focused device running a scaled down version of Windows instead, titled “Xbox Surface.”
The specs for the upcoming device were supposedly leaked back in June with the leak being considered accurate. The plans have since evolved though with some changes present:
The Xbox Surface will likely include a custom ARM processor and high-bandwidth RAM designed specifically for gaming tasks. We're told these specifications could be altered to accommodate an unannounced Intel SoC and that the Xbox Surface is being developed independent of specific hardware architecture. Microsoft's Xbox Surface won't run a full version of Windows, rather this 7-inch tablet will run a custom Windows kernel. Messaging and other tablet functions may be supported, but the focus is on gaming.
With the iPad dominating the tablet market, this attempt seems like a desperate one from Microsoft but with the right specs and integration with the Xbox 360 console gaming and Xbox platform, the new tablet might just sway more dedicated gamers such as myself over. What are your thoughts of a gaming-focused Microsoft tablet?
Source: The Verge
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