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Microsoft's Surface 2 with LTE to debut on AT&T, Vodafone

Microsoft's first LTE-enabled Surface 2 tablets will debut on AT&T and Vodafone.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft officials committed last week to providing an ARM-based Surface 2 tablet with LTE wireless connectivity in early 2014. This week, Surface execs disclosed that the Surface 2 with LTE would debut on AT&T and Vodafone first.

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A number of current and potential Surface users have been requesting an LTE Surface. Last year, Microsoft officials said that the company's telemetry data showed that the majority of potential tablet purchasers didn't want or need LTE.

As GeekWire noted, Microsoft's Surface chief Panos Panay told attendees of a Microsoft Surface promotional event at a Microsoft Store in Seattle more details on the LTE Surface. Panay also said there won't be an Intel-based Surface Pro 2 with LTE (though it's not entirely clear if that means there never will be any Intel-based Surface with LTE).

Microsoft is working on a Surface Mini with a screen size somewhere between 7 and 8 inches, and according to my sources, it will launch in the spring of 2014. The Surface Mini will be ARM-based from what I've heard from my contacts. (Qualcomm is the expected processor, rather than the NVIDIA chip that powers the ARM-based Surface 2.)

I'm wondering whether the Surface Mini is also going to be LTE-enabled or Wi-Fi only. No word on that (so far) from my sources.

Speaking of Surfaces, Microsoft showed off some interesting enteprise Surface peripherals in a new video, as noted by Neowin, including some point-of-sale attachments and a charging cart for multiple Surfaces. 

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