Microsoft is planning an answer to the smaller, lower-cost tablets from the likes of Google and Amazon-- according to the Wall Street Journal the company has a smaller (7-8-inch) Surface tablet lineup in the works.
Such a move would come to no surprise, seeing recently Microsoft relaxed Windows 8/RT tablet requirements by dropping minimum resolutions from 1366x768 to 1024x768.
"This doesn't imply that we're encouraging partners to regularly use a lower screen resolution," the March Windows Certification Newsletter says. "In fact, we see customers embracing the higher resolution screens that make a great Windows experience... partners exploring designs for certain markets could find greater design flexibility helpful."
The WSJ also reports Microsoft will drop Windows and Office software prices in order to "spur lower-cost touchscreen devices enabled by its Windows software."
However a question remains-- will customers want a smaller, cheaper Windows 8 tablet? So far it is clear the Surface failed to disrupt tablets, while Windows 8 only managed to negatively affect the PC market (at least according to IDC). But don't expect Microsoft to give up on its "devices and services" dream so easily, at least for the near future.
