Microsoft is said to be launching a 7 inch Surface tablet in late 2013

Even though the sales of Surface products aren’t as good as what Microsoft expected, the Redmond based company did not give up hope on their in house designed tablet product. A new series of Surface tablet will be launched later this year.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is reportedly developing a new series of Surface Tablet which will have a smaller screen as compared to the current ones. The 7-inch tablet will probably a more budget friendly device as compared to the current Surface. It is also reported that the new 7 inch devices will come in late this year and news of the hardware are still unconfirmed.

This news from WSJ is in line with the news on Microsoft lowering the requirements for Windows 8. Microsoft recently adjusted the requirements of Windows 8 to support a smaller 1024 x 768 resolution screen. Additionally, Microsoft is also seen to be developing a Xbox branded 7 inch gaming tablet, but it will not be the same product as the 7 inch surface tablet as mentioned above.

Wall Street Journal also claimed that Microsoft only recently decided to compete in the smaller form factor tablet market due to the threat from iPad mini and Nexus 7 products which were launched last year and that they in fact has not developed any strategies to compete in the market previously.

 IDC industry report has shown that PC market has fell 13.9% over the first quarter of the year. Microsoft has probably to take a bet on Surface and treat it as the company’s future.