Microsoft has sent out invitations for a May 20 press event in New York and, while details are limited, it is known that it will be about its Surface line – and could even serve as the launch of the long-rumored Surface mini tablet.

Microsoft’s invite alludes to “a small gathering,” which media outlets are interpreting as a tease for the new, smaller Surface tablet to compete with Apple’s iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy Tab and Google’s Nexus 7, among others.

The rumored 7- to 8-inch Surface has been in the works for more than a year, according to The Verge, which suggests “Microsoft delayed the tablet over fears production could its availability.” The small Surface coming on May 20 is likely to be powered by a Qualcomm processor and Windows RT, Bloomberg News reports.

“It’s not clear if the Intel Surface model is simply a refresh of the existing Surface Pro 2, but it’s possible Microsoft could be preparing to launch a Surface mini with Windows RT and a Surface mini Pro model with a full version of Windows 8,” The Verge reports. “Microsoft may even be considering an entirely new Intel-based Surface model.”

Unlike the iPad mini, the smaller Surface is expected to come with a stylus pen to work with Microsoft’s OneNote software and a cover with a multi-position kickstand, not a kickstand integrated with the device itself (like in Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2), according to Paul Thurrott (via The Verge).

While it remains anybody’s guess what Microsoft has planned on May 20, a Surface mini is a logical guess because it is the only segment of the tablet market that the company currently does not have a product in, according to UK website n3rdabl3, which also points out that a Surface Mini could be used as an Xbox Smartglass device, something that Microsoft has been developing.