Will this mean more Surface commercials? Microsoft is planning on shrinking some tablets down to seven inches, according to a report in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal. The smaller tablet will go into production later this year. At least one person told the Journal that the plans for a smaller tablet weren’t in the works as recently as last year, but the company has recognized the need to enter the tablet market after strong sales by Google and Apple in their tablets smaller than eight inches. Windows 8’s disappointing entry into the market hasn’t helped matters for Microsoft—in fact, some say the operating software has only accelerated the company’s decline, since it hasn’t caused any increase in tablet sales.
