Microsoft will reveal its new Surface tablets at an event in New York City on September 23, according to invitations sent to press, with the new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 expected to debut.
Microsoft is expected to announce its next-gen Surface Pro and Surface RT tablets, the purportedly named Surface Pro 2 and Surface 2, the latter of which has most likely dropped the “RT.”
Both have seen numerous leaks lately with the Surface Pro 2 rumored to be Haswell-based and the Surface 2, Tegra-based. The Surface Pro 2 is also supposed to truly replace PCs by providing the Surface Dock, an accessory that allows more device connections, along with a Power Cover to supply extra battery juice
Microsoft is hoping that a faster, more longer-lasting version of the Surface will help raise its profile – not to mention its sales. The new Surface 2 is expected to use an NVIDIA Tegra 4 chip despite some suggestions that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon would be used.
Meanwhile, there has also been speculation that Microsoft will launch a smaller, 7-8 inch tablet in the Surface range. That would more directly take on the iPad mini, for instance, though it’s not believed to be part of the September 23rd event.
Instead, Microsoft will refine the internal hardware and push improvements in battery life. That could also include using a new clip-on battery cover which would both protect the tablets’ screen and add extra run-time
