Microsoft will reportedly hold a Surface keynote at an event scheduled for October. Apart from the Surface keynote, there could also be a hardware launch at the event, according to The Verge.
Here’s what the Surface keynote may include
Microsoft’s annual Future Decoded event is scheduled from October 31 to November 1 in London, and there, Surface chief Panos Panay will be speaking, according to The Verge. Details about the upcoming event are scarce for now, but more than one piece of hardware could be revealed at the event.
Microsoft in June launched fifth-generation convertible tablet Surface pro. During the launch, the company assured that they would come up with the built-in LTE Surface Pro towards the end of the year, and the London event timing suggests the company might unveil a new hardware, notes TechCrunch.
It has been almost a year since Microsoft upgraded the Surface Book. The company could announce an upgrade to the notebook/tablet performance-focused hybrid. According to The Verge, the Surface Hub might also be updated, and an announcement about it could be made during the event.
Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro has the most advanced features. Thus, an update to the Surface Book to support those features could be coming. Further, the company did say previously that support for on-screen use of its Surface Dial might be launched later in the Surface Book and Surface Pro Line, notes TechCrunch.
Microsoft is also known to be working on ARM-powered Windows laptops, which are expected to be released sometime this year.
“We are on track to see Windows 10 on Snapdragon devices become available this year as previously shared,” says a Microsoft spokesperson.
The representative added that Microsoft and Qualcomm are working with OEM partners such as HP, ASUS and Lenovo in releasing Always Connected devices featuring always-on LTE connectivity and extended battery performance to the market.
Colored Surface laptops going to more markets
Microsoft is also apparently bringing colored Surface Laptops to more markets. The company stated that configuration-wise, all the laptops will be the same, irrespective of the shade picked by the customer. The four colors that the laptop will be available in are Cobalt Blue, Graphite Gold, Burgundy and Platinum Silver.
In the U.S., various colors were already available during the launch in June. The new markets getting the color options are Netherlands, Sweden, Hong Kong, China, Norway, Finland, France, Germany, Canada, Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand.
In addition, the i7 Models in the Platinum color are available in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Surface Laptop comes with Windows 10 S. During the launch, Microsoft offered free Windows 10 Pro upgrades until the end of the year. However, the promotion date has now been extended to March 31, 2018. After that date, the company could start charging Surface Laptop owners $49 to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.
At 10:23 a.m. Eastern, Microsoft shares were down 0.11% at $73.53. Year to date, the stock is up more than 18%, while in the last year, it is up almost 28%.
