Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Book, And Surface Phone: The Latest Reports
There is still a lot of speculation that Microsoft will release a lot of new products this fall. ZDNet says there certainly will be a Microsoft event this fall.
“As of the last few days, I am hearing there will be some kind of Fall 2016 Microsoft hardware event. The question, at this point, is what the Softies will be highlighting there. Microsoft may be leaning toward making the fall hardware event a partner-first showcase and put the spotlight on Windows 10 devices from its OEMs.”
The article adds that even if Microsoft does that, the company is still likely to launch some minor updates to its Surface line this fall. One of those updates could be for the Surface Pro. According to Trusted Reviews, the Surface Pro 5 may have a 4K screen.
“A new report claims that the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 will feature a 4K Ultra HD display, which would be a first for the series. By contrast, the Surface Pro 4 has a maximum 2,736 x 1,824 pixel resolution.”
The article adds that the standard version of the Pro 5 may not have the 4K panel, but Microsoft might offer the display as a paid-for upgrade — this is what companies such as HP and Lenovo have been doing. This might not be a big deal to many consumers, as the current 2,736 x 1,824 display is considered stunning.
There is some speculation that the Surface Pro 5 won’t be released until 2016. According to the Vine Report, the tech community has started accepting the fact that the Surface Pro 5 may not be released until 2017. However, current discounts on the Surface Pro 4 could mean that the Surface Pro 5 will arrive sooner than expected.
Then, there is the Surface Book. TechRadar believes that Microsoft may wait until 2017 to deliver the Surface Book 2 since Redstone 2, the version of Windows 10 that will follow the Windows 10 Update that arrives on August 2, will be released in Spring 2017. Microsoft’s top-of-the-line notebook is also rumored to have a 4K screen. However, TechRadar wants to see it have more power as well.
“Of course, with an increased screen resolution comes the need for more power. The ‘Kaby Lake’ architecture is said to support processors with a thermal envelope of up to 95 Watts (W), which isn’t too shabby, meaning it shouldn’t be a battery hog with increased performance.”
Like others, TechRadar wants a laptop that is VR ready. They also want to see better battery life, a charging dock for the Surface Pen, and more ports.
Besides the Surface Pro 5 and Surface Book 2, Microsoft could also possibly release the long-awaited Surface Phone this fall as well. WinBeta claims that the Surface Phone is still on, but that it will be aimed for business users instead of Android and iPhone customers. ZDNet also says the Surface Phone will be business-based, but they add that it will have an ARM processor instead of one from Intel. It is still believed that the Surface Phone will run a full version of Windows 10.
Microsoft certainly has a lot on its plate, but based on the success of the Surface Pro and the Surface Book, they will have a lot of customers once the devices are ready. Which device are you most excited about – the Surface Pro 5, the Surface Book, or the Surface Phone? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
[Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images]
