Rumor: In radical move Microsoft goes for USB-Mini on new Surface devices

Surface devices have usually exemplified a modern Windows device. With tight integration between software and hardware the Surface Pro set the standard for what a 2-in-1 device could be. So far Microsoft has been providing a full sized USB-A port on their thin and light devices.

With much controversy surrounding the neglect of USB-C on new Surface models, Microsoft has made the surprising move to adopt USB Mini on all new Surface devices. In a statement Microsoft spokesperson says, “A large portion of Surface customers are enterprise users which means they need to work with equipment which is not always up to date. We found in our research that USB Mini was a more requested and used standard than USB-C.”

While this may be true it is stunning to see Microsoft move backward several generations of USB to reach the enterprise customer. Obviously the portion of devices using USB-C will grow as time goes on making that port more useful and USB Mini less useful. Time will tell how Surface customers will respond to this new development.