It would seem Microsoft has inadvertently revealed that work on its Surface 2 tablets has already begun, after posting a number of job adverts online. 

Despite Microsoft’s first-generation tablet devices - the Microsoft Surface for Windows RT and the Microsoft Surface for Windows 8 Pro – having yet to go on sale, the company is on a recruitment drive as it looks to build on momentum to take on the iPad and Android tablets.

The job adverts, that were posted on Microsoft’s careers site between June and August, all began with the following:

"The Surface Team focuses on lighting up Microsoft experiences with touch first computing. A fundamental part of our strategy is having desirable and powerful devices that enable the experiences people want, and elicit their excitement. Creating these devices involves a close partnership between hardware and software engineers, designers, and manufacturing. We are currently building the next generation and Surface needs you!"

Microsoft goes on to talk about “fast-paced product development cycles” suggesting the Surface 2 will quickly be followed by a third and fourth, while specific job descriptions reveal even more about what we might expect. 

For example, the position for a materials engineer says the person appointed will be working with PVD. PVD stands for Physical Vapour Deposition, which when applied correctly can waterproof a device. That’s not all, the person who gets the job of senior engineer will be looking at designs for “alternative power sources”.

Just think, all this from a careers page.

When do you think we might actually see a Microsoft Surface 2 tablet? Let us know in the comments below...