A Microsoft Tablet For Xbox?

Microsoft has really been busy changing their image from being the company that was left behind to being the company that is leading the way. The latest rumor for Microsoft sounds more like something you would expect from Apple. The company is supposedly working on a small tablet that will focus on gaming and Xbox.

 A Gaming Tablet

This Microsoft tablet is being labeled as the Xbox Surface to promote the possible similarity of the two. Speculation says that it will be a 7-inch tablet with a 1280×720 resolution and a 3.1 GHz processor. It is supposed to use a stripped-down version of Windows instead of the traditional full program. These rumors also say the product would run on a custom ARM processor and be built where the other Surface products are built.

Price is another area where everyone is already guessing. It could easily be an expensive product, but game systems work different than other devices with profits being made on the royalties from the games. This is why companies can charge less for the system and still make money. If Microsoft offers their Xbox Surface for close to the same price as the iPad Mini, it would be considered very reasonable for a game system, which could make it a great value in the market.

Of course, Microsoft has not said a word, which just fuels the speculation about what is really happening. Experts suggest that it will have more functionality but focus on gaming first. This could mean better graphics and faster play and it could be a direct competitor with the iPad Mini. How many people a year ago thought Microsoft could compete with Apple. At that point, nobody was a real competitor. Now Samsung’s Galaxy Note and Google’s Nexus 7 have exploded onto the scene. Could Microsoft do the same with the Xbox Surface?

It is expected that if there is such a gaming tablet in the works, it would be released prior to the next Xbox console that is expected in the second half of 2013.

[Image via geekwire]