NEW YORK – Microsoft announced a larger version of its Surface tablet to make the device more compelling as a laptop replacement.
The Surface Pro 3 will have a screen measuring 12 inches diagonally, up from 10.6 inches in previous models. Microsoft said it’s also thinner and faster than before. The company said it worked closely with chip-maker Intel Corp. to maximize performance in a slim device.
Microsoft also collaborated with software developers such as Adobe to adapt Photoshop and other software to take advantage of the new tablet’s hardware.
The Surface Pro 3 will go on sale Wednesday starting at $799.
Microsoft announced the device Tuesday at an event in New York.
The Surface is an important part to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s mobile-focused strategy. The company is trying to boost sales of Windows tablets and phones to stay relevant with consumers as computing habits change.
Microsoft’s presenters spent much of the hour-long presentation comparing the Surface with Apple’s iPad and MacBook Air laptop.
Panos Panay, corporate vice president for Surface Computing at Microsoft Corp., tried to make the case for the Pro 3 to replace both.
“This is the tablet that can replace a laptop,” he said.
The first Surface came out in late 2012 to lackluster sales. The Surface 2’s debut last October came with a greater marketing emphasis on tasks people normally tackle on laptops, such as creating documents and editing movies.
