Earlier this year, there were reports that Microsoft plans to make a new attempt at producing a low-price Surface tablet. Some new FCC filings spotted by WinFuture suggest that this tablet does indeed exist and that Microsoft has sought the necessary regulatory approval to bring it to market.
The FCC paperwork doesn't include pictures or full specs of the device—those parts are kept confidential for now—but it does disclose a few details that give some hints about the new device.
The system is using a driver for a discrete Qualcomm Atheros Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module. The use of a separate chip makes it all but certain that the new machine has an Intel processor—if it had a Qualcomm ARM chip then the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth would be integrated into the system-on-chip and use a different driver.
The power supply is also listed as being a 24W unit. Microsoft has used 24W power supplies in the past, but current Surface Pros use 36W parts. This is consistent with both the low expected price—$400—and smaller 10-inch screen.
The device is expected to ship some time this year, positioned as a solution for education markets. The original reports claimed that it would have new, rounder styling, and in a break from the rest of the Surface line, it will use USB Type-C for charging rather than the proprietary Surface Connect port.
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