Microsoft has never been a hardware company, but it has certainly dabbled with the idea. With dabbling comes ideas that never make it off the ground. T

To celebrate Microsoft’s 50^th anniversary, we wanted to take a look back at its most famously scrapped devices in the last couple of decades.

Microsoft Courier (2010)

Microsoft has spent the better part of a decade exploring concepts around dual-screen computing, and the Microsoft Courier was the first true internal effort to get something off the ground as more than just a research project.

Courier explored the idea of a digital notebook, which focused entirely on digital inking and pen experiences, along with touch. It featured two identical 7-inch screens joined via a hinge mechanism that allowed the device to open and close like a book.

The device was purported to run a specialized version of Windows, separate from the mainline Windows effort that was at the time focused on early Windows 8 development. This means the device wouldn't run Windows apps.

Instead, Courier would have had its own app platform, which developers would need to build dedicated apps for if they wanted to support the device. The entire experience was built around a digital journal, with virtual pages you could swipe between to take down notes and drawings.

Unfortunately, Courier was canceled in 2010 for reasons that are unknown. Rumors suggest the project was canceled for many reasons, including the fact that it wasn't going to run Windows 8 and support traditional or metro Windows apps.

Although it never shipped, Courier certainly laid the groundwork for the company's future dual-screen efforts in Surface Duo and Surface Neo.

Lumia McLaren (2014)

In 2013, rumor’s emerged that Nokia and Microsoft were working on a unique flagship Lumia handset, designed as a successor to the Lumia 1020 and featuring special “3D Touch” functionality that would let users manipulate the device without touching the screen.

The device was code-named McLaren featured a 5.5-inch FHD LCD display and an aluminum unibody chassis, which was a big departure from the all-polycarbonate designs of prior Lumia handsets at the time. The device’s big selling point was 3D Touch, which was being co-developed with Microsoft.

Microsoft was building a new UX paradigm for McLaren called MixView, which was designed to let app tiles on the Windows Phone Start Screen explode into smaller tiles when a user hovered their finger over an app. This UX was super fluid and satisfying to use, and it’s a shame it never shipped.

Other features unique to McLaren were sensors built into the edges of the device that could identify how the device was being held, and automatically apply things like screen orientation lock. Apps would have also been able to tap into these sensors, adding virtual buttons along the edge of the phone for actions.

McLaren was supposed to launch towards the end of 2014 as the latest flagship Windows Phone, but the product was canceled in the summer of that same year. The reason for its cancellation isn’t truly known, but it’s believed that Microsoft pulled the plug as the 3D Touch technology was too expensive and difficult for average consumers to grasp.

Surface Mini (2014)

Surface Mini is a famous one, primarily because it was canceled at the very last minute. Codenamed Iris, the Surface Mini was supposed to be an 8-inch Windows RT tablet that prioritized touch and pen input.

Surface Mini began development in 2013 and was planned to be announced alongside the Surface Pro 3 in 2014. The device would have competed head-to-head with the iPad mini, designed as a digital notebook for on-the-go note-taking and integration with OneNote.

The display was a high-resolution 1080p LCD panel, and the chassis was made of a felt-like material. That chassis included a kickstand attached to a pen loop designed to store the Surface Pen, which this device was built around.

The kickstand was also unique, the first to support three different angles instead of two. A little fun fact, this kickstand design would later be recycled for use on the Surface 3 a year later.

Microsoft ultimately canceled the Surface Mini just weeks before it was supposed to be announced. The company had already ordered an initial round of production units that it intended to sell, and marketing materials were also complete and ready to go.

Why was it canceled? It’s believed that Windows RT was the primary culprit. At the time that the Surface Mini was supposed to be announced, Microsoft had already decided to move away from Windows RT.

The company was in the early development phase of Windows 10, an operating system that would never come to Windows RT devices such as the Surface Mini. At the time, Windows 10 on Arm wasn’t ready, and so the company had no choice but to kill the device.

Xbox Joule (2014)

Before the Microsoft Band, there was the Xbox Joule. This was a prototype fitness watch incubated by the Xbox team that was supposed to sync with the Microsoft Kinect and track fitness and health statistics in games that utilized them.

Joule featured a low-resolution 1.5-inch touchscreen display and basic firmware that tracked heart rate, steps, and calories burned. It featured replaceable bands and a charging dock.

The interface was very square, similar to the design language of Windows 8 and the Xbox dashboard at the time. It was manipulated with gestures, exiting apps by swiping to the side or down from the top of the screen.

The Xbox Joule was canceled sometime in early 2014, and much of the early work put into it later laid the foundations for the Microsoft Band that launched later in 2014. It's unknown why the Xbox Joule was canceled.

Microsoft Band 3 (2016)

In keeping with wearables, the Microsoft Band 3 was canceled in 2016 when the company decided that it was no longer interested in being in the fitness wearables game. Band 3 had been spotted on the wrists of a number of employees, and the product was quite far along in the development pipeline before it was scrapped.

Band 3 featured a slightly thinner chassis, a new charging mechanism with an easier-to-attach and adjust clasp, and new waterproofing capabilities that allowed the watch to track water-based activities such as swimming.

Externally, the device looked similar to the Band 2, though it wasn't identical. The thinner chassis meant it fit better on your wrist, and the device was also supposed to be more durable to help address tearing issues that were common on the Band 2.

Surface Andromeda (2018)

Andromeda might be Microsoft's most famously canceled device. Although it was revived in the form of Surface Duo, the Surface Duo wasn't exactly like Andromeda. Surface Andromeda was Microsoft's first attempt at a dual-screen phone, but this was running Windows and featured an entirely different user experience.

The Andromeda device was built around a version of Windows that prioritized pen and digital ink. The idea was that the device would be a digital pocket notebook that could travel with you and keep all your thoughts written down with the pen, which attached to the front of the device with magnets and charged.

The OS was built around a digital journaling experience. The home screen was an inking canvas that you could write notes on, paste images into, and customize to your heart's desire. It still featured UWP apps and a Start screen, which could be accessed by swiping in from the left.

Unlike Surface Duo, the device featured a rear camera. Metal rails around the sides of the device gave it a more premium feel in the hand too. Andromeda was canceled in 2018, but the hardware was later recycled for Surface Duo in 2019, albeit with some notable tweaks and changes.

Surface Neo (2021)

Surface Neo is Microsoft's most recent effort at a dual-screen computer, attempting to achieve the same goals as Courier but with a modern Windows OS twist. It began development in 2018 under the codename Centaurus.

Surface Neo features two identical 9-inch screens that support both pen and touch input, joined together by a 360-degree hinge mechanism that enabled the device to open and close like a book and flip all the way around into single-screen mode.

Neo would have run a special version of Windows called Windows 10X that would have been able to run Windows apps. This version of Windows was the first to pioneer the centered Start menu and Taskbar interface we see today on Windows 11.

On the inside, Surface Neo was powered by an Intel Lakefield processor, paired with 8GB RAM. The device also supported wirelessly charging both the Surface Pen and a new Surface Neo keyboard accessory, which could lay flat on the left screen and turn the Neo into a mini laptop.

Surface Neo was canceled in 2021, after Microsoft scrapped Windows 10X and Intel abandoned the Lakefield processor.

Surface Cronos (2022)

Shortly after the launch of Surface Duo 2, Microsoft scrapped plans to ship a mid-range variant of the dual-screen smartphone. The device was codenamed Cronos, and was supposed to ship as a stopgap between the Duo 2 in 2021 and the Duo 3 in 2023.

Cronos featured an all-plastic exterior and a dual-camera array on the back of the device. The displays were also cheaper, missing the curved glance bar that the Duo 2 had. The device was all about cutting corners to bring the price down.

Unfortunately, the device was scrapped when the company decided that dual-screen devices weren't working. Both Cronos and Duo 3 were scrapped, and the company began working on a true folding screen phone.

In 2023, Microsoft would cancel all plans to release more phone hardware.

I'll be the first to admit that no-one was asking for this comparison, but when the opportunity arose for us to compare the new Surface Go with the canceled Surface Mini, I just couldn't say no.

As a brief reminder, the Surface Mini is Microsoft's original tiny Surface that unfortunately never released. Featuring a 7.5-inch screen, this was going to be a Surface device aimed more at inking and media consumption, rather than productivity work. A lot has changed since 2014, which is most telling when comparing specifications.

See Surface Go at Microsoft

Surface Go vs. Surface Mini: Differences galore

Although both the Surface Mini and Surface Go are primarily tablets, the Surface Go is much more. It's also a laptop thanks to its ability to attach a keyboard and write documents and stuff. The Surface Mini can't do that, making it a device primarily for consumption. At eight inches, that's not a surprise.

A lot of people have wondered about the size of the Surface Go. With its screen being so small, how could anyone be productive while using it? The Surface Go is just about the smallest you can go on a laptop-style device before it's no longer a productive workspace. The Surface Mini didn't have a keyboard cover because it was just too small for a keyboard. There's no comfortable way to fit a full-size keyboard on a device that's eight inches in size.

This is the canceled Microsoft Surface Mini in photos

Because of this, the Surface Mini and Surface Go are devices that target two very different markets, or they would have. The Surface Go is more for students, some workers, and people who need to get stuff done. The Surface Mini was a device purely for consumption, inking, and maybe doing some very light editing in Word using the on-screen keyboard.

The Surface Go is obviously more powerful due to its newer specifications. Surface Mini featured an older ARM processor with at most 2GB RAM. In 2018, 2GB RAM is not doable. Some even think 4GBs is cutting it close to unusable, but since the Surface Mini ran Windows RT at the time, 2GB would've been fine.

The kickstand on the Surface Mini is also not as flexible as the one on the Surface Go. The Go's is just like the Surface Pro's stand, with its 165-degree hinge mechanism. The Surface Mini's is the same one found on the Surface 3, which is locked to just three positions.

The Surface Mini also uses a different material for its body than the Surface Go. The Go uses magnesium, whereas the Mini uses a more fabric-y material. It feels great in the hand, just like a Moleskine journal.

Surface Go vs. Surface Mini: Size matters

In regard to size, the Surface Mini is obviously smaller. It's also a device designed to be used in the portait orientation. That's very different from all other Surfaces on the market, which are designed and marketed primarily in the landscape orientation.

The Surface Mini would've been an excellent device for taking out with you when you just wanted to take notes on the train or in an office, or watch a movie when on the go.

Surface Go review

For a mini Surface tablet to even have a chance at competing, it would need a better tablet mode experience to go with it. Right now, Windows 10 is not great on devices that are primarily tablets, which is likely the reason behind Microsoft's insistence on calling everything a laptop.

That's why Microsoft is capitalizing more on the productivity side of things, because Microsoft has that in the bag. The smallest you can really go while maintaining productivity status is around 10 inches, so the Surface Go nails that right on the head. The Surface Go is the Surface Mini we've always wanted. If Microsoft goes any smaller, it might as well think about doing a phone.

See Surface Go at Microsoft

We write, almost daily, throughout our professional and personal lives. Thus, it makes sense for the familiar pen and paper scenario to be replicated by the technology that is increasingly integrated into our lives.

Millions of people, including business professionals, writers, police officers, students, salespeople, doctors and regular Joes, carry a pen and paper. We often need to scribble some idea, epiphany or other valuable information onto a medium more enduring than our memories. Scrap paper, however, is often lost. And notepads are organized, effective, but finite in their capacity.

Though in our technology-driven world much of what we record with pen and paper is destined for the same "eternal" digital format as our typed data, writing is often more efficient, comfortable and socially acceptable in certain contexts. So writing is both more natural than typing and considered more polite in a social setting.

Microsoft, with its Windows Ink and cellular PC strategy, should launch an inking-focused, always-connected Surface mini tablet. Not a phone or ultramobile PC, just a simple seven-inch, pen-equipped slate running Core OS. This device would serve a multitude of note-taking scenarios and overcome the shortcomings of etching notes on traditional notepads.

What is Windows Ink?

Windows Ink is the evolution of inking capabilities that have been part of Windows since Vista. It allows users to use a pen to write on a touchscreen Windows 10 PC as naturally as they would on paper.

Touch and pen became prominent in Windows with Surface. The pen's integration with OneNote showcased Microsoft's hardware and software integration chops. Windows 10 introduced writing on web pages. And with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, which addressed the creator in everyone, Microsoft made inking front and center.

Windows Ink Workspace is an easily accessed and evolving section of Windows 10 that showcases various inking tool, including:

• Sticky Notes now has pen support and Cortana insights. Cortana scans a note's content and can add reminders as it recognizes actionable data like day or time.
• Sketch Pad provides users with a dedicated inking environment for doodling and notetaking. It's equipped with virtual rulers, pen types and more.
• Screen Sketch allows users to write directly on a screenshot of their displays.

These capabilities can also be accessed from the lock screen, enabling the quick access often needed when people take notes. Microsoft also supports third-party, ink-focused apps like Ink Calendar. It's not hard to envision the usefulness of these tools on a seven-inch, pen-enabled, Core OS digital notepad.

What is Microsoft's Whiteboard app?

Whiteboard is a collaboration-focused, first-party inking app. It digitally replicates the physical whiteboard experience and allows remote users to work in the same digital environment in real time.

Whiteboard also incorporates intelligence. The "Ink to Shape" feature automatically creates a perfect shape out of a user's sloppy attempts. Additionally, after users enter an equation, Whiteboard provides the associated graph illustrating it.

With Bing integration, users can search for and insert images from within the app.

Windows Ink and Whiteboard on a mini cellular tablet

Surface Creator Panos Panay refers to his Surface Mini as a Moleskin (a type of notebook) and keeps it by his bedside for late night notetaking. In 2014, the pen-focused Mini was reportedly scrapped because it lacked a competitive advantage. Things are different now.

With cellular PCs coming to market this year, an eSIM-equipped, pen-focused mini-tablet from Microsoft would have the always-connected advantage the original Mini lacked. Furthermore, with Core OS Microsoft could ensure the full power of Windows while cutting features that may not be needed for the device's form factor and digital notepad positioning. Since inking would be the focus, Sticky Notes, Sketch Pad, Screen Sketch and upcoming inking capabilities would be highlighted features.

Whiteboard is initially targeted at the education sector, but it has broader potential applications on a digital notepad. Imagine business executives collaboratively strategizing from remote locations. Or students remotely working on group projects, artists collaborating, or engineers brainstorming. Field sales reps following up on leads could update the central office with "live" notes. Doctor-patient interactions would be more personal as the doctor faces the patient while writing on a digital notepad, rather than typing into a laptop with his back to them.

The time is right ...

Digital notepads would eliminate scrap paper and with cloud support enable virtually "infinite" note storage. The implications for personal and collaborative uses of an inking-focused mini tablet with Windows Ink and Whiteboard are far greater than what Surface Mini would have brought to market in 2014. With Continuum, Microsoft could even enable full desktop scenarios.

Is Microsoft's rumored 'Surface phone' a reimagined Surface Mini

If Microsoft threw in cellular voice, we'd really be talking (poor pun intended). But that's a topic for another day.

Leaked marketing material of Microsoft's canceled Surface Mini have popped up on the web just a few days ago, revealing what the Surface Mini would have looked like in red. Evan Blass, known for leaking all kinds of devices before they launch posted the images on Twitter, along with device specifications.

The images and specifications confirm what we reported on just a few weeks ago, where we exclusively revealed what the Surface Mini looked like in photos. The marketing material appears to be showing off renders of a red Surface Mini, which confirms there was going to be multiple colors of the Surface Mini to choose from. The one we photographed was black, for example.

Canceled before its time

These marketing renders may be our best look yet at what Microsoft was cooking up internally for a smaller Surface. Canceled at the last minute, the Surface Mini was going to be Microsoft's shining star in 2014, running Windows RT with pen support for note taking and inking on the go.

The decision to kill the device just weeks before it launched was likely for the best, however. Windows RT was a failing platform, and there wasn't many apps in the Windows RT Store that could've shown off the potential of a Surface Mini device. OneNote was the only true app that would've made sense on a mini Surface.

Blass' leaks also confirm that the device was going to ship with a Snapdragon 800 processor and either 1GB or 2GB of RAM. It had a Full HD display at 7.5 inches and an aspect ratio of 4:3, which is great a size for a mini tablet.

The leaked technical specifications also confirm that the Surface Mini had an internal codename of "Iris", and would've come bundled with a Surface Pen in box. It's a true shame that such a device was canceled. Perhaps Microsoft will give it another go in the future, with Windows 10 instead. Would you be interested in a Surface Mini with Windows 10?

The Windows Store has seen a lot of momentum over the last couple of weeks, with a game sale and an explosion of centennial apps. Also on the episode, we talk about why a recent Windows 10 source code leak, and why it might not be that big of a deal, and the Surface Mini. All that and more on this weeks episode of the Windows Central Podcast!

Help us make this show the best Microsoft podcast in the world. Tell your friends, share it on social media using the hashtag #wcpodcast, and give us a five-star rating wherever you download your podcasts! Thank you so much for listening!

We've got two options for you, either the video podcast or the audio podcast, both featuring the same content.

Show Notes

• 3:00 Insider Builds
• 10:00 Game Store Sale
• 18:00 Centennial Apps
• 30:30 Matebook X
• 43:10 Windows 10 Source Code leak
• 50:00 Surface Mini

Subscribe to the podcast

• Download directly: Audio
• Listen via: Windows Central app Windows 10 | Android
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe via RSS
• Subscribe via Google Play Music
• Subscribe via Pocket Casts

Hosts

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Make this show great by participating!

Send in your comments, questions, and feedback to:

• Email: wcpodcast@windowscentral.com
• Twitter: @WindowsCentral with hashtag #wcpodcast
• Or leave a comment below!

In 2014, Microsoft planned to announce two new Surface devices. One was the Surface Pro 3, and the other was the now infamous "Surface Mini", which never saw the light of day. At Windows Central, we love finding details on, and seeing, Microsoft's canceled and never before seen products. So we're excited to be able to exclusively show you the never before seen Surface Mini. Let's dig in!

Microsoft Surface Mini images

On the outside, the Surface Mini is essentially a smaller Surface Pro 3 in portrait orientation. It's housed in a case-like material and design that feels soft and felt-like. However, this is actually part of the Surface Mini. It's not a case you can remove, it's the actual physical design of the Surface Mini. It has a built-in kickstand in the landscape orientation and is slightly angled at the edges for easier gripping when using the Pen and taking notes. This gives it a somewhat large bezel, however.

The kickstand works similarly to the kickstand found on the non-Pro Surface 3 introduced a year later. It has three locked positions: one for viewing, one for typing on the screen, and one that's somewhere in between. We wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft used the same kickstand mechanism in the Surface 3 that it had been working on with the Surface Mini. When closed, the kickstand sits flush with the device, just like on any other Surface. The Surface Mini was going to come in a variety of colors, too.

For ports, the Surface Mini had a microSD card slot for expandable storage, a headphone jack, a Micro-USB port for charging, and USB-OTG, which is handy for mini tablets. Micro USB was the norm in 2014, so it's not a surprise to see it. Under the hood, the Surface Mini packed a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 1GB RAM, an Adreno 330, and a screen resolution of 1440 x 1080 at eight inches. It also had 32GB of internal storage and dual-band Wi-Fi.

Surface Mini and Surface Pen

It also had same Pen technology that was first introduced in the Surface Pro 3 and was designed with the Surface Pro 3 Pen in mind. The selling point of the Surface Mini was for it to be a device that was excellent for notetaking. It even has a Pen loop attached to the built-in kickstand that allowed you to store the Pen when it wasn't in use. The case material, along with the shape and design of the Mini, made it feel like a book.

It was powered by Windows RT,and the device benefitted greatly from the Windows 8.1 Start Screen and "Metro apps" that looks gorgeous on tablets. The Surface Mini didn't have a Type Cover accessory and was designed to be used entirely with pen and touch. Windows RT 8.1 made a lot of sense on a device like that, and tapping the button at the top of the Surface Pen instantly opened OneNote, allowing for quick access to your notes.

Unfortunately, Microsoft scrapped the product just weeks before it was scheduled to be announced. The Surface Mini was supposed to launch alongside the Surface Pro 3 back in 2014, but the company made the decision to kill the device because it didn't have enough unique selling points to warrant its existence. Windows RT was basically killed just a few months later, with the unveiling of Windows 10 in September 2014.

I believe there is a market for small, premium eight-inch Windows tablets with pen support, even though they're scarce these days. Maybe Microsoft will one day return to its Surface Mini plans. With Windows 10 coming to ARM later this year, perhaps it will then be the perfect time for a new Surface Mini with updated internals and pen integration.

During the last few weeks, I've been in the market for a premium eight-inch Windows 10 tablet with pen support that's good for notetaking, entertainment consumption, web browsing and email. To my dismay, it appears nobody is making these tablets. Not two years ago, the market was full of new, small Windows tablets running Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. In 2017, I can't find a single one that's on sale "new" from OEMs.

No more high-end eight-inch Windows tablets

If I search for "8-inch Windows 10 tablet" on Amazon, I see a list of eight-inch Windows 10 tablets from lesser-known manufacturers, who are building cheap, low-powered tablets. I don't see Dell. I don't see HP, and I don't see any of the "big name" manufacturers. Instead, I see low-quality options from Linx, Teclast, NuVision, and CHUWI, with the only big name on that list being Acer with the Iconia W8.

All of these tablets are on sale for less than $120, meaning the specs and build aren't going to be great. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It's great that you can get a Windows 10 tablet for so cheap these days, but that's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for an iPad Mini equivalent Windows 10 tablet. Something that feels premium to hold, with an incredible screen, pen support and super fast performance.

Dell and HP both used to sell premium Windows 8.1 tablets, some of which included pen support. The HP Envy 8 Note was a perfect example of this. It was a premium, thin and light mini Windows 10 tablet that also had an Active Stylus, which was perfect for notetaking, web browsing, and email. It had a 1080p display, which is ideal for an eight-inch device, and is exactly what I'm looking today. Unfortunately, HP doesn't sell it anymore.

Dell had the Venue 8 Pro, which was also thin and light, rocking a 1080p screen, 4GB RAM, microSD expansion support and USB-C. Again, another great premium offering, but Dell doesn't sell this anymore either. In fact, both Dell and HP aren't selling any small Windows 10 tablets right now. They completely pulled out of this market, leaving lesser-known hardware makers to fill the gap with cheap Windows tablets.

So, why isn't there an iPad Mini equivalent Windows 10 tablet?

No money in the market

Dell and HP likely pulled out of the market because they were seeing poor sales, which means there isn't much of a market for this kind of device. That's unfortunate because I have several reasons to want a mini, premium Windows 10 tablet with pen support. And right now, that tablet doesn't exist. Nobody is building it. NuVision, easily one of the best eight-inch Windows 10 tablet manufacturers right now, is focused on making low-cost tablets rather than high-end premium ones.

For the last few years, iPad sales declined massively. Perhaps the obsession with tablets is over.

Microsoft itself was going to release a premium mini Windows 8.1 tablet back in 2014, called the Surface Mini. This device was just a couple weeks from being announced before the internal decision was made to pull the product. The Surface Mini was going to be a Windows RT-based mini Surface with pen support. This would have been the iPad Mini Windows tablet I'm currently looking for.

Hopefully, Microsoft returns to its Surface Mini project one day. With Windows 10 coming to ARM processors in the fall, later this year would be a perfect time for Microsoft to announce a small Surface tablet, powered by ARM, with pen support. For now, however, I've settled on an eight-inch tablet from NuVision. Sure, it doesn't have pen support, but it appears to be well built and has a 1080p display.

Software to blame?

Perhaps part of the blame can be put on Microsoft for turning Windows 10 into a terrible tablet OS. Compared to Windows 8.1, Windows 10 was a major step back in tablet-mode functionality. In 2017, things are a bit better, but they still aren't where they used to be.

Small things such as pleasant animations and unique tablet experiences aren't present in Windows 10. On Windows 8.1, you could flick through your open apps by swiping from the left, an incredibly quick and useful way of multitasking. In Windows 10, that feature isn't present. Instead, swiping from the right just opens Task View.

Also, the Start Screen doesn't really scale well at eight inches. When in portrait mode, the Start Screen has this odd, useless space on either side of the columns where the Live tiles sit. Microsoft needs to optimize tablet mode for eight-inch devices a bit more.

So perhaps one of the reasons nobody is buying eight-inch Windows 10 tablets is because the software experience isn't up to snuff? I mean, as an "average Joe," why wouldn't you buy an iPad Mini over a Windows 10 offering of the same price?

Your thoughts?

I'm curious to see how many others out there are also in the market for an eight-inch tablet. I understand devices like the Surface Pro have removed all needs for having a smaller tablet, but I find there are several different use cases for smaller eight-inch devices instead of a 10- or 12-inch one.

What do you think?

But alas, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and former Executive Vice President of Microsoft Devices, Stephen Elop, determined that the diminutive Surface didn't offer enough to differentiate it from the competition. They concluded that it wouldn't be a hit. Consequently, the Mini was bowed out of the day's event.

Surface creator and Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Devices Panos Panay is also the "father" of the ill-fated Mini. He shared after that "small gathering" event that Redmond would continue to work on smaller versions of the successful Surface tablet. I believe that we may finally see the manifestation of that passionate commitment next year. Just not in the form of a tablet.

More than one way to skin a cat

As we see with the latest manifestations of the Surface line, the Surface Pro 4, and Microsoft's ultimate laptop, the Surface Book, any product bearing the Surface name is associated with perseverance, pushing limits and creating categories. Consequently, Microsoft's flagship Surface branding has earned the respect of the industry as being about industry leading products and the company's faith in those products.

The Surface Mini had it launched last Summer, would have been introduced into a space littered with 7"- 8" tablets. From a consumer's perspective, the question would have been, what makes Microsoft's small tablet better than the inexpensive and more popular Android devices consumers were already buying in droves? Or in the case of the iPad Mini what makes Microsoft's solution better than Apple's powerfully branded alternative?

It was likely unsatisfactory answers to questions like these that kept the Surface Mini safely out of the public's eye. Not that it was not a great device. It was a Surface after all.

As an 8" tablet, with USB and MicroSD ports, a Qualcomm processor, 1 GB of RAM and the N-Trig pen, it simply checked a box for Redmond. Mini tablet? Check.

Furthermore, though the Surface Mini's evolution began during a period when small tablets were all the rage, that time, by the end of 2014 had passed. There has been a paradigm shift as smartphones have gotten larger. Small tablets have ceded ground to large screen devices or phablets, as users use their 5" plus smartphones for activity that was previously reserved for 7"- 8" tablets.

Thus, if as Panay asserts, Microsoft is to bring the Mini (or smaller Surface) to market in any form, it will likely be in a form that better fits the current and foreseeable industry trend. That trend, with the proliferation of phablets, is clearly not one that caters to the simple 8" tablet.

Life Lessons

My dad is an artist. Like most sons who love their dads, as a child, I emulated some of the things I saw him do. Thus, I too became an artist. One of the lessons my dad taught me about my artwork was never to throw any of my work away. I learned that if I didn't get the results I wanted after completing a drawing it still had value. Those areas that didn't quite match up to expectations were opportunities from which to learn. By keeping the work, I had a frame of reference as I started again.

Sleepless Nights

In a recent interview with Wired, Panos Panay shared how during sleepless nights when ideas just won't let him rest, his canceled Surface Mini (kept by his bedside) has been his go-to tool for scribing notes using the new Surface Pen. It is his "digital notepad." The article goes on to share that Panay loves the Mini and that he says,

The fact that he still uses the device and considers it awesome, despite it being deemed unfit for the market, reveals Panay's commitment to his "baby." Let's not forget, this is the same man that has passionately and meticulously labored over every detail of his projects. He pushed the Surface line past its initial, highly criticized and money-losing short-comings to the industry-praised and profitable Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book.

Panay is clearly a man that does not give up on an idea. As the head of Microsoft's devices, the faith, and relentless commitment he has in his work clearly leads him to value what is good in a project and to learn from what doesn't work.

In the making

It has been rumored for some time that Microsoft is making a device that fans and journalists have dubbed the "Surface Phone." Our own Daniel Rubino has referenced his sources numerous times in this regard. So it is no surprise that a prototype that could have been the rumored device was seen on site during the Wired interview.

The fact that Panos Panay is leading the charge for the "Surface Phone" project (as I'll call it) is a promising and exciting prospect for many fans.

Surely the Mini's cancelation due to lack of differentiation was not the result Panos expected. But those areas of the Mini that didn't quite match up to expectations I'm sure Panos has used as learning opportunities.

Note, we've learned two things about Panos as we've watched him redefine what a tablet and a laptop are. He is relentlessly persistent and committed to an idea. And he uses constructive criticism to reshape a product to fit the user's needs while remaining true to the products original vision. He doesn't "cancel" an idea.

As mentioned above the mini tablet space is a shrinking market. It is progressively ceding ground to the growing phablet space. Redmond is clearly aware that creating a device that is simply a mini tablet would be a poor investment. Microsoft, however, is a company that is leading the way in convergence devices and software as seen in the Surface line and Windows 10 platform features like Continuum for PC and phone.

Keeping the baby

There's an old saying that says, "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." It's simply an advisement that when discarding something of little to no value, don't lose what's important.

This was the impression of fellow writer Brad Sams, who had hands-on time with the Surface Mini. Based upon how Panos Panay, the Mini's creator, uses his Mini, it seems that Brad's analysis provides an accurate allusion to what the Mini's potential market positioning would have been.

Now as an 8" tablet running the largely criticized Windows 8 in 2014, surrounded by the iPad Mini and Android tablets galore, this "digital notepad" though commendable, would not have been very visible in that highly competitive landscape.

As we approach 2016 however, and the industry naturally flows toward a "single device for multiple scenarios" paradigm and small tablets yield ground to phablets, Microsoft's Windows 10 and Universal Windows Platform with Continuum provide the ideal environment for a re-imagined and differentiated "digital notepad."

In 2014, Microsoft's "digital notepad" would have been the Surface Mini. In 2016, Panos Panay and team will likely present the re-imagined "digital notepad" in the form of the "Surface Phone."

In with the new

As a 5" – 7" phablet, the anticipated Surface Phone will lend itself to comfortable internet surfing, multimedia consumption, and productivity tasks. However, with added telephony capabilities, the Surface Phone, unlike the Mini will always be connected without the need for a separate cellular plan or dependency on Wi-Fi.

Additionally, in potentially retaining the defunct Mini's focus as a "digital notepad" Microsoft can continue the theme of intricate integration of the Surface Pen with Surface devices when applied to the "Surface Phone". It will be interesting to see how Windows 10 evolves and how expected features like interactive Live Tiles are optimized for pen-centric interaction.

Also, as a new category of Surface, Microsoft will be able to position the Surface Phone to fill a gap in their existing Surface line.

Consider. As Microsoft's tablet that can replace your laptop, the Surface is positioned as a productivity tablet. Thus, Microsoft has the large tablet space and the various use case scenarios served by that tablet size covered.

The Surface Book, Redmond's ultimate laptop is first and foremost a powerful laptop. The ability to detach the display and use it as a digital clipboard (and not a tablet per Panay) is designed for specific purposes that doctors, architects, and others may find useful.

The anticipated Surface Phone will fill the currently unaddressed and lowest end of the Surface continuum that was likely the originally intended position for the Surface Mini. The Surface Phone will be the always connected "digital notepad" for everyday scenarios. The student, the salesman, the executive, the administrative assistant, the nurse, the professional and even the regular Joe would find this digital notepad useful.

The differentiator that makes this "Surface" more viable than the Mini, is this always connected device's ability through Windows 10 and Continuum to go from a pocketable pen-centric "digital notepad" to a PC experience in seconds. Additionally, with an anticipated "Intel inside," Continuum from this device is expected to literally put a PC in user's pockets.

With the additional potential to run Win32 apps ported over by way of the app conversion Bridge, Centennial, this device can fill the range from a light-weight "digital notepad" to a powerful PC.

Reborn

Since users in the current market, are increasingly looking to do more with a single device, the anticipated Surface Phone potentially fills a market position the original Surface Mini and all current small tablets do not address.

The "Surface Phone", if it materializes, will be a phone that, like other phablets replaces a user's tablet. However, with Windows 10 and Continuum, it will also run Universal Windows apps and become a user's PC. These features are in addition to the pen-centric theme of the Surface line and the legacy focus of the Surface Mini as a "digital notepad."

It's not a stretch to imagine that when Microsoft's Corporate Vice President for Devices Panos Panay wakes late at night and grabs his Surface Pen and Surface Mini, that he scribbles ideas into the device regarding how to ensure the strengths of the Mini that he so loves to live on.

Yes, I believe that if Panay has his way, his "Surface Mini" will endure. Indeed, I contend that the "digital notepad" that was canceled in 2014 will likely be reborn as the highly anticipated "Surface Phone" in 2016.

Are you looking forward to a Surface Phone? Sound off in comments!

Microsoft's plans to launch a smaller Surface mini tablet this past summer were cancelled a few weeks before it was scheduled to launch. Now a new report offers some hands-on impressions of the tablet, including word of a special case that was made for the Surface mini.

Neowin says it got to check out one of these tablets, which would have used Windows RT 8.1, but was not given permission to take any photos or videos of the product. According to their report, the hardware specs for the Surface mini included an 8-inch display, a Qualcomm processor, 1 GB of RAM, and USB and microSD ports. It adds that it would have shipped with the same Surface Pen that's included with the current 12-inch Surface Pro 3, which was confirmed when that tablet's manual mentioned the Surface mini by name.

The rest of the article praises the Surface mini, even though it reportedly has a large bezel. However, perhaps the most unique feature of the tablet was its optional case. Neowin states

It does sound like the Surface mini would have been a solid product, hardware wise, but Neowin's report does omit some details, such as the speed of its processor, the amount of onboard storage. and its battery life. There's also no word on what the price would have been for the Surface mini. The report gives its own opinion that Microsoft made a mistake in cancelling the tablet. Do you feel the same way?

Source: Neowin

Microsoft's Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood said this week that sales of the company's 12-inch Surface Pro 3 tablet are "outpacing earlier versions of Surface Pro" but did not offer any specific numbers.

Hood made that rather general remark as part of the company's quarterly financial conference call with financial analysts on Tuesday, after it released its fiscal year 2014 fourth quarter results. Microsoft mentioned that the Surface division brought in $409 million in revenue during that quarter that ended June 30. The company has never offered any specific unit sales numbers for any of its Surface tablets.

Hood also mentioned the cancellation of another Surface product during her remarks Tuesday, stating, "During the quarter, we reassessed our product roadmap and decided not to ship a new form factor that was under development." It's almost certain that product was the Surface mini, the smaller tablet that was actually mentioned by name as part of the Surface Pro 3's official user manual.

What do you think about the news of the Surface Pro 3 out-selling the other two Surface Pro tablets at this stage of its life?

Source: Microsoft via CNET

Microsoft has inadvertently confirmed the existence of the Surface Mini in a user manual for the Surface Pro 3, which was recently published on the company's website. The Surface Mini is an interesting device that failed to show up at the Surface Pro 3 event after Microsoft emphasized on the event being "small". Unfortunately, the company failed to shed light on whether or not such a device exists and if it will be available for purchase at some point in the future.

The Surface Mini is mentioned several times throughout the user manual, with one section dedicated to pairing the new Surface Pen with unannounced the Windows tablet. Other references cover OneNote and other features. Previous reports stated the delay with the Surface Mini is due to the lack of touch support in Microsoft Office for Windows 8, which would change with the release of a touch-friendly version.

Even with Microsoft confirming the product's existence through user documentation, we'll have to wait for an official announcement to know exactly when consumers will be able to pick up the Surface Mini – that's if Microsoft chooses to launch the device.

Source: Microsoft{.nofollow}, via: Paul Thurrott

While many of us expected that we would be seeing a Surface Mini at yesterday's "small" event from Microsoft, we didn't get that — but that's not to say that there isn't a Surface Mini in Microsoft's research and development labs somewhere. In fact, there was very much one, but Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and former Nokia CEO and now Microsoft EVP of Devices & Services Stephen Elop made the decision to push back a possible release of the smaller Surface tablet. Their reasoning? It wasn't unique enough.

Bloomberg, citing the perennial "people with knowledge of the decision", says that Nadella and Elop evaluated the Surface Mini and determined that it didn't offer enough to differentiate itself from the competition and "probably wouldn't be a hit." Microsoft's current Surface tablet offerings dominate the Windows tablet space, though by virtue of the larger size of the Surface line they don't compete in the smaller space.

It's interesting that Microsoft opted to go in the opposite direction yesterday, instead unveiling the thinner and larger 12-inch Surface Pro 3 with a powerful Intel Core i7 processor at its core.

All of that isn't to say that the Surface Mini is dead on a Microsoft lab bench. The company knows that smaller tablets are a big market — just look at the success across all platforms of sub-8-inch tablets — but they want to get it right before releasing their own. Panos Panay, Microsoft's Surface chief, said after the event that Microsoft will continue to work on smaller versions of the tablet. But when we'll see such a tablet and what it will look like, we still can't say for certain.

Either way, there is a Surface Mini, and someday it will come. Just not today. Which leaves us with the question: what size tablet is right for you?

Source: Bloomberg

The Surface Mini that we're expecting to see on May 20th. is likely to have a stylus, ARM processor (and therefor run Windows RT), and be announced by the new CEO, Satya Nadella, at the launch event.

Though a stand won't be built in according to anonymous sources, we should see a snap-on keyboard that can double as a stand. The stylus in question is expected to have tight integration with OneNote, while the screen itself should be in the 7 to 8 inch range. As cool as this all sounds, there very well may be a second device announced on May 20th. as well.

The Surface mini should be hitting shelves in June, but at this point everything is still squarely in the realm of rumors. What would you guys like to see from a smaller surface?

Via: All About Microsoft, Neowin, WindowsITPro

Microsoft has begun to send out invitations to a private press event hinting that a smaller Surface Mini tablet may be the topic of discussion on May 20th. According to the invitation, Microsoft is asking media to join it for "a small gathering."

Though no mention of a Surface Mini was given, the invitation did bear "Microsoft Surface" branding. We can take that as a clue, along with the "small" wording, that a smaller Microsoft Surface Mini tablet will be joining the most recent Surface refreshes, including the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2.

Rumors of a smaller Surface tablet have been going on for some time now, and a smaller Windows 8.1 tablet may help Microsoft compete better with Apple's iPad mini and a number of 7- and 8-inch Android tablets, including Samsung's Galaxy Note 8.0 and LG's G Pad 8.3. There are also a number of Windows tablets currently from Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, and Toshiba that sport the smaller form factor, but none officially from Microsoft's official Surface product line.

Source: @JoannaStern; Engadget

The rumour mill is still churning with speculation that Microsoft will launch a "mini" version of its Surface Windows tablets. According to a report over on ZDNet, we could well be seeing the product launch in early 2014. Microsoft has recently announced its second generation of Surface tablets, so what could we be looking forward to regarding a smaller form factor?

It's believed the Surface Mini will be powered by ARM, thus will be running Windows RT. Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans say the Surface Mini is indeed on its way, but won't be with us anytime this year. As noted above, we should be looking at a 2014 launch alongside a Windows 8.1 update, codenamed "Spring 2014 GDR" (General Distribution Releases - similar to the updates we're seeing for Windows Phone).

Should the operating system division at Microsoft be able to launch Windows 8.1 Spring 2014 GDR, Windows Phone Blue and the Surface Mini, we'll witness the first combined rollout and signs of the company restructuring taking effect. 

The reason for the later than expected rollout for a Surface Mini? According to Mary Jo Foley, the delay is partially attributable to the new OS team working around the clock on the Xbox One operating system. The team, led by VP Terry Myerson, has its priorities laid out to finish the Xbox One OS, release Windows 8.1 and push Windows Phone GDR3 to consumers. 

So why is Microsoft sticking to its guns when it comes to ARM and Windows RT, especially given the negative reception by both the media and consumers? Foley explains that the company believes ARM provides better price points and battery life. In addition, you're also looking at a locked down environment with little bloatware and other unwelcomed additions.

It'll be interesting to see how Microsoft further expands its ARM portfolio, with the possibilities of including both phones and tablets. The Surface Mini could well be joined by a "phablet" running Windows Phone 8 (not to mention the rumoured Nokia Sirius tablet). With the confusion surrounding Windows RT when Microsoft made the announcement alongside Windows 8, we'll have to see how the company attempts to unite everything under one umbrella.

So, Surface Mini likely to come in 2014, folks. Until then, we have more Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8.1 to play with. Good times ahead.

Source: ZDNet