In 2014, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reportedly axed the Surface Mini, a passion project of Surface boss Panos Panay, at the last minute. Windows Central and Thurott got access to photos of the canceled device, showing us what could have been (and, in a twist, what may come to be in the future).
Windows Central's photos are clear, showing a black devices that has a kickstand with three locked angles, a microSD card slot, a headphone jack, a Micro-USB port for charging and a USB-OTG port.
Thurott's single photo shows that the device would have come in red as well.
The Surface Mini would have been powered by Windows RT, with an 8-inch, 1440 x 1080 display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 1GB RAM. It would also have used a Surface Pen for note taking.
MORE: Windows 10 Coming to Snapdragon 835-Powered Laptops
There's still a chance to see a Surface with a Qualcomm CPU. Last month, Microsoft and Qualcomm announced a partnership at Computex in Taipei, and said that Microsoft would be using Qualcomm processors for "always connected" devices. Perhaps the Surface Mini, or something like it, will one day make a comeback.
Thurott reports that thousands of Surface Minis may have been produced before the cancellation. If so, it's not clear what happened to all of those machines.
Images: Windows Central
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