The compact version of Microsoft's Surface series tablet, widely known as Surface Mini, will reportedly feature an 8in display, and not 7.5in as reported earlier.

Microsoft Surface 2
Microsoft Surface Mini is expected to feature 8in 1080p display.

In September Microsoft was rumoured to be planning for a mini version of Surface tablet with a 7.5in screen. Now, according to the latest disclosure by Chinese site WP Dang, which claims to have received the information from unnamed sources, the Surface Mini will sport an 8in display with full HD 1080p resolution, allowing users to have high-quality screen experience.

Besides, the Intel Bay Trial processor will be the power house for the smaller Surface tablet.

The Surface Mini, as the sources suggest, will incorporate a Kinect-like somatosensory technology, used in Xbox kinect. This technology will enable Surface Mini to recognise human faces and hand movements. The somatosensory feature is expected to work much smoother compared to the 'Air Gesture' feature found in Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3, notes Unwired View.

This technology is not new among tablets. Many of Lenovo's tablets, including the YOGA series devices, have the ability to control applications with voice and hand commands. Other companies like Sony have also used this face recognition technology in their devices.

The Surface Mini is likely to run on Windows 8.1 update, codenamed Spring 2014 GDR (General Distribution Release). And this is said to be the reason behind 2014 release of the tablet instead of 2013. Microsoft is reportedly in the midst of finalising its third GDR for Windows Phone 8. The GDR3 will add support for 1080p resolution and have the ability to run the Windows Phone OS on five-six inch devices.

As for the launch, Microsoft is expected to make an announcement about the Surface Mini along with Windows 8.1 Spring 2014 GDR and Windows Phone Blue sometime in Spring 2014.

The ARM architecture-based Surface Mini is also expected, which will run on Windows RT operating system.