Microsoft is renewing its effort to take on the iPad with cheaper Surface tablets

While Microsoft is throwing a lot of attention towards its high-end business-based Surface Hub 2, it’s also looking to tackle tablets for the everyday user. Reports suggest that this will be a renewed effort to rival Apple’s iPad, meaning Microsoft will be entering the market with Surface tablets costing half that of previous models.

The high-end Surface Pro range has always been the breadwinner for Microsoft, beating out other premium workplace-standard tablets, however at its $799 price tag, it’s never been equipped to take on Apple’s $329 iPad.

Microsoft gave up its effort to take on Apple’s competitively priced iPad with the Surface 4 series, however the original ARM-powered Surface and Surface 2 were both attempts at scooping its own portion of the market. This continued to fail with the Intel-equipped Surface 3, which inevitably saw discontinuation in 2016.

The company’s supposedly upcoming $400 Surface tablet is meant to buck this trend, according to Bloomberg, as Microsoft ditches is signature square aesthetic for a friendlier, rounder design. It will also reportedly drop the Surface Connect port in favour of the increasingly standardised USB Type-C.

Other rumours claim that the new Surface tablet will shed 20 percent of its weight, with its battery lasting up to 10 hours. It is unknown whether or not storage will be expandable with Microsoft’s increased cloud efforts, but 64GB and 128GB versions are planned, alongside one sporting LTE connectivity which we’ve seen from the company in the past.

KitGuru Says: I managed to get my hands on a Surface Pro 4 for half price last year and I do appreciate the machine, even if it does stumble here and there. Hopefully Microsoft picks up its reliability moving forward too, as its Surface range doesn’t have the best reputation. Would you be interested in a cheaper Surface tablet?

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