Microsoft is said to be planning on an affordable line of Surface tablets to take on rival Apple iPads. These cheaper Surface tablets are slated to launch by the second half of the year. This move can be considered as Microsoft's attempt to get a pie out of the tablet market that is highly dominated by Apple's iPad.

While the costlier Microsoft Tablets have been getting a positive response both from the consumers and technology experts, they are struggling to generate a high number of sales. These current tablets are targetted for business and pro users and do not fir in the regular users budget. Microsoft's first attempt the Surface RT tablets, launched back in 2012, were priced slightly higher at $499 and didn't fare well in the market.

These cheaper Surface tablets would be smaller than the Surface Tablets in size, around 10-inches like the iPads and may be priced around $400. While the current Microsoft Surface tablets carry a very distinctive squared design, the new tablets will have round edges, like iPads.

The new tablets from Microsoft will feature USB type-C connectivity, a first for Microsoft. These tablets are reported to be 20% lighter than their premium siblings, however, will have a slightly lesser battery life as well. The Surface tabs are said to offer around 13.5 to 14 hours of battery life while the upcoming tabs will offer at least 4 hours less battery life.

In terms of storage, the new $400 tablet from Microsoft will have 64GB and a 128 GB storage variants with LTE connectivity. These tablets will be powered by an Intel processor and will continue to have the signature kickstand and will run on Windows 10 Pro. Microsoft is also said to be working on a cheaper set of accessories for the new line up. These accessories include a cheaper keyboard cover, mouse, and a stylus.

Microsoft is not generating a huge number in terms of sales of the current Surface lineup of tablets that includes Surface Laptop, Surface Book, and the Surface Studio. With this new and affordable tablet, the company is looking to increase its reach and give Apple a tough competition.

Would you buy a cheaper tablet from Microsoft running on Windows 10 Pro? Let us know in the comments section below.