Second-Generation Microsoft Surface Tablet May Be Launched Soon

Microsoft Surface Pro

(Image Credit: http://www.microsoft.com)

Although I personally like Android-powered tablets over its rivals, I would likely purchase a Microsoft Surface Tablet simply because it is more practical over all the other tablets in the market. The price tag of the tablet offering of Microsoft is the main obstacle why I will not acquire the device for the moment, but this may change soon.

A recent report revealed that the second-generation Microsoft Surface Tablet may be unveiled by the software giant in the upcoming developers’ conference. The devices may feature screen sizes of seven and nine inches, and are expected to have the same component suppliers as the initial models of the device.

The launch of the second-generation Microsoft Surface tablets is expected to be done during the Build conference from June 26 to 29 in San Francisco, the report from Digitimes revealed. The current model of the tablet accounted for only 1.8 percent of overall tablet sales for the first quarter of 2012

This is equivalent to around 900,000 units, which is way behind the 19.5 million iPad and iPad Mini units sold by Apple in the same period. The figure comes from the Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker of IDC. However, it should also be noted that the Microsoft Surface Tablet accounts for half of all the tablets using the Windows RT and Window 8 OS by all vendors.

But the report revealed that Microsoft has still to enter the seven-inch to eight-inch niche in the tablet market. The acceptability of this particular niche is gradually increasing in the market and may see more competition from reasonably-priced tablet devices. Reports on the possibility that second-generation Microsoft Surface Tablet is designed for this particular niche are rather encouraging.

IDC Mobile Device Tracker program manager Ryan Keith revealed that these challenges will be dealt with together with different screen sizes, which will allow Microsoft to increase its market share starting 2013. I am hoping that this will mean that the second-generation Microsoft Surface Tablet will be released soon by the software giant.

On the other hand, NetMarketshare revealed that Windows 8 was able to increase its desktop OS sales to 3.8 percent in April, which is higher than the 3.17 percent for March. For the moment, Windows XP and Windows 7 continue to dominate the desktop OS market with the 38.17 percent of the XP and 44.7 percent for Windows 7.

In addition to the report about an upcoming second-generation Microsoft Surface Tablet, free Touch keyboards are reportedly being offered to buyers of the Surface RT tablet without the keyboard. An additional Touch or a Type keyboard will be given to buyers of the tablet with the Touch cover.

However, the deal is not available for the Microsoft Surface Pro that supports all Windows 7 and Window 8 applications. The offer is limited to the Chinese market and is only available until the end of the month.

With all of the news about the tablet offering of the software giant, I do hope that the release of the upcoming second-generation Microsoft Surface Tablet will finally bring down the price of the tablet that I am willing to part my hard-earned moolah for.