Microsoft reportedly launching 7.9-inch Surface tablet in June

Software giant Microsoft will reportedly release a smaller Surface tablet with a 7.9-inch display at the end of June. 

Digitimes reports that the tablets will sport display panels from Samsung Display. That said, industry sources have confirmed that LG Display (LGD) and other firms in Taiwan are yet to be included in the list of panel suppliers for the tablet. 

Reportedly, panel suppliers are conservative in their outlook for the upcoming 7.9-inch unit from Microsoft, despite the success of similar sized tablets. They say that Samsung and LGD were the panel suppliers for Microsoft’s 10.6-inch Surface tablet, but the company managed to sell only 900,000 Surface tablets in the first quarter of 2013. 

Surface mini in the making?

Earlier this month, CNET reported that Microsoft will be launching a new 7.5-inch tablet to take on the iPad mini and Nexus 7. It was said that Microsoft was contemplating an aggressive pricing strategy for the smaller tablet, proving to be a key decision in the segment.

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NPD DisplaySearch’s analyst Richard Shim said, “From the supply chain side, we’re seeing the panel specifications, the touch module and the mass production schedule being made.” The display is rumoured to have a resolution of 1400 x 1050 pixels, which adds up to a pixel density of 233 ppi. Interestingly, this would place it higher than the iPad mini and the Nexus 7 at least in terms of pixel density.