Microsoft Making a Reputable Successor to the Surface

When it came out back in 2013, the Surface Pro 2 was a huge improvement from the original Surface RT. It also came with options. You could either get the Surface Pro 2 or just the Surface RT which gave consumers the choice between Windows 8.1 or Windows RT. Right now, it is still the latest addition to the line of Windows RT tablets.

What is Microsoft Planning?

Because of it's success with two different versions, it was odd that when they announced the Surface Pro 3, there was no mention of a regular Surface 3. They did plan to launch a Surface mini, but that got canceled right before they were about to officially announce it. Now, there really isn't any chance for a Surface 3 at all.

Reports say that Microsoft is getting ready to put out a new tablet that is supposed to be the big brother to the Surface 2 pretty soon, but it isn't going to be an RT device. It is going to have a fanless design and have either an Intel ATOM or an Intel Core M based processor. It will run the full version of Windows, which is a first for a non-pro tablet from the company.

With BUILD coming up, it is expected than Microsoft will announce the tablet around that time and probably launch it soon after. It will obviously come loaded with Windows 8.1 but will be upgradable to Windows 10 whenever it comes out. This comes as a bit of a pleasant surprise considering that Microsoft said none of the non-pro devices would be upgradeable to Windows 10. It does make sense because it will be launching so close to the time of the new operating system, but I don't think anyone was really expecting it.

What Does This Mean for Apple?

The new tablet is said to be a low-end tablet that will be a direct successor to the Surface 2, which has since been discontinued. In addition to that, it is also said that this new tablet will complete more directly against Apple's iPad. Apple has long since been the leader when it comes to tablets, probably because Apple was the first company to come out with a tablet, essentially setting the industry standard for the technology.

Big Fixes Coming!

The one thing that this tablet is doing right is that it is fixing arguably the biggest problem with previous Surface tablets, the fact that they didn't run Windows. This new tablet will run the full version of Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 10. This means that it will be able to run any Windows software that runs on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 according to reports from WinBeta.

The lack of software with the Surface 2 and Surface RT was a huge problem for these devices. In fact, the problem was so sever that Microsoft ended up writing down over $900 million in unsold inventory thanks to poor sales of the original Surface RT. In turn, Microsoft stopped selling the low end tablets and stating that existing Surface Pro 2 tablets would not be upgradeable to Windows 10.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

Microsoft unveiled last month a version of Windows that was designed for the tiny $35 Raspberry Pi PC. This version of Windows 10 could, hypothetically, be used to run on other small devices, giving Windows a new foothold in the Internet of Things (IoT) market. The IoT market is, essentially, the market where everyday things are given sensors, chips and apps, allowing them to join the internet.

This is important because Microsoft has promised that Windows 10 will work like a single operating system across multiple devices. What this means is that no matter what you are using Windows 10 on, whether it be a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone, it will run and feel the same on each device. As Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella puts it, this is a major part of the company's strategy to make everyone "love Windows 10".

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