iATKOS | United Kingdom: Microsoft Plans Lower Cost Surface Tablets to Compete With iPad

Microsoft is planning to release a line of lower cost Surface tablets that could compete with the Apple iPad, reports Bloomberg. The tablets could arrive in the second half of this year.

The new Surface tablets are said to feature a 10-inch display, rounded edges like an iPad, USB-C connectivity, and a new charging and syncing standard. They're expected to be about 20% lighter than the high-end Surface models and will have around four hours less of battery life. Currently, the Surface Pro can last 13.5 hours on a single charge.

The current professional-oriented Surface Pro lineup starts at $799. Microsoft, which hasn’t finalized its plans, is expected to price the cheapest versions of the new device at about $400. Like the Surface Pro, these models won’t be bundled with the company’s keyboard cover. To go along with the lower-cost device, Microsoft is preparing less-expensive versions of its keyboard cover, stylus and mouse, the people said. The current keyboard cover costs an extra $160, while the new keyboard will be priced a bit lower, they said.