Microsoft Poised to Unveil Surface 2 Successor, Says Report

The new Surface tablet will be marketed as a non-pro device.

Microsoft is expected to unveil a new addition to its Windows tablet line-up. According to the website, WinBeta, Microsoft will announce a successor to the Surface 2 at the company’s Build Developer Conference in April. The next-generation tablet won’t be a “pro” device, meaning it will not succeed Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3. It won’t run Windows RT and will not be a mini version, either, sources said.

Instead, the tablet will run on a full version of Windows, possibly Windows 8.1, and is powered by a low-power CPU, either an Intel ATOM processor or an Intel Core M-based chip. In addition, the Surface 2 successor will be fanless and upgradable to Microsoft’s next-generation OS: Windows 10. The thought of Microsoft marketing the tablet as a non-pro device suggests that it will be a low-cost model, a blessing to budget-conscious consumers.

Meanwhile, Microsoft did not comment on the report. Microsoft’s Build Developer Conference is an avenue for the “mobile first, cloud first” company to showcase its products and services. It’s worth noting that when the registration for its annual conference opened in January, the tickets were sold out in less than an hour. There are rumors that Microsoft will announce a new Lumia device. And, expect to see more of Microsoft’s HoloLens.