Microsoft's $400 Surface Tablet Passes Through FCC

We may not see Microsoft's long-awaited "Surface Phone" this year, but it looks like new Surface devices are definitely on the way.

The company has been rumoured to be working on a budget Surface-branded device, and it appears to have finally passed through the US Federal Communication Commission this week. That could suggest a smaller, less powerful Surface model, which lines up nicely with some of the rumors we've been hearing lately. They'll also have Intel processors and run a full version of Windows 10.

The tablet is expected to retail for around $400 without a keyboard cover or stylus and aimed at the educational market.

The FCC filing refers to the product as Model 1824 and doesn't have any mention of updates or changes to an existing certified device, which rules out the chance of a mere update or reconfiguration of existing Surface tablets, and cements this as a new hardware product. They'll also work with various new low-priced accessories, such as a dedicated keyboard cover, stylus, and mouse.

But if you perhaps hoped you'd get an Intel Core M-series chip for less than the $799 now charged for the cheapest Surface Pro configuration, a certain "master of cheap scoops" is here to crush your unrealistic dreams.

According to the initial report on the device from Bloomberg, Microsoft is specifically looking to position this new Surface against the iPad. The FCC listing also indicates some small tweaks to battery voltage, but that doesn't really help us determine anything significant.