Until a few years ago, the Surface products seemed like an adventure for Microsoft. But now they have turned into a serious business, generating more than $1 billion in quarterly revenues. Microsoft is holding a Surface event on October 2nd to unveil whatever new products it has in store. In its press invite, Microsoft described the event as a “moment of your time” without revealing much about what it would announce. But the rumor mill and supply chain leaks have given us a fair idea of what you can expect to see at the Surface event. Before that, let’s check out the start time and if you can watch the live stream.
Microsoft Surface event start time and live streaming
The software giant is set to start the event at 4 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 2nd. That’s 3 PM Central Time and 1 PM Pacific Time. The event will take place in the New York City.
Not everyone can manage to attend the event live, so most technology companies live stream their media events. But Microsoft has chosen not to live stream the Surface event, not even on Windows devices. That’s a major disappointment for fans. But don’t worry. ValueWalk will bring you all the news and updates from the event.
What to expect at the Surface event
On Oct.2, Microsoft will offer us a glimpse into the future of the Surface lineup. Some of the products are long due for upgrades. It could also surprise us with something entirely new. The company has been working on a bunch of devices with mysterious code-names, and some of them could be showcased at the Oct.2 event. Here’s what we expect to see:
Surface Pro 6
We have seen a lot of leaks related to the Surface Pro 6 in the last few weeks. This is almost a certainty. The Surface Pro 6 is expected to get an incremental spec bump such as the 8th-gen Intel Core processors. Microsoft has also indicated that it was going ‘back to black,’ so we should expect the Surface Pro 6 in a new black color option. Not much is expected to change on the design front, though.
Besides upgraded processors, the Pro 6 is expected to be available in 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB RAM options and 128GB of base storage. The base model is expected to run Intel’s Core M (M3-7Y30) processor. Pricing will reportedly be nearly identical to the current model.
Microsoft is working on a “heavily redesigned” Surface Pro under the code-name ‘Carmel.’ But it’s unlikely to debut until the second half of 2019.
Surface Laptop 2
We expect a spec upgrade on the Surface Laptop as well, though no major design changes appear to be on the horizon. The new Surface Laptop is also rumored to come in a black color option for variants with high-end specs. According to German site WinFuture, the base model will come with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB LPDDR4 RAM, and 128GB SSD storage. The current Surface Laptop comes with just 4GB RAM, which is a bit disappointing.
The internal upgrades would be enough for Microsoft to call it Surface Laptop 2. On the exterior, it will remain unchanged with an aluminum case, a 13.5-inch PixelSense display, and a fabric-covered keyboard. It would have Surface Connector, USB 3.0 Type-A port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and Mini DisplayPort.
No USB-C
This may come as a surprise to many but ZDNet reports that Microsoft is going to ditch the USB-C connectivity on both the upcoming Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Pro 6 to put more emphasis on its own Mini DisplayPort and Surface Connector. WinFuture has also reported the lack of USB-C jacks on the upcoming Surface models.
If it happens, it will be an odd decision by Microsoft. The company has added USB-C port on both the Surface Go and Surface Book 2.
Windows 10 Updates
Though the Surface event will largely be about hardware, the platform gives Microsoft a chance to reveal when it would push out the Windows 10 October update. The software giant has finished testing it internally, and is ready to roll it out in the next few weeks.
Microsoft is also working on the next big Windows 10 update under the code-name 19H1, which is expected to arrive next year. The company could talk about it at the Surface event. The 19H1 update is expected to focus on productivity and integration with Android and iOS.
Surface Studio 2
The Surface Studio is two years old now, and it needs an upgrade. The current model is sold out at Microsoft’s online store, suggesting an upgraded version is imminent. However, there haven’t been any major Surface Studio 2 leaks. According to MySmartPrice, the Studio 2 could feature Intel’s 8th-gen processors and an updated Nvidia graphics chip.
Other products
Microsoft has been working on a foldable phone dubbed Andromeda that it could show off at the Surface event. It will be a big surprise if it happens. Paul Thurrott has reported that Microsoft is planning to unveil it in late 2019. Thurrott has learned from inside sources that the company could announce an LTE cellular version of Surface Go on October 2nd. The Surface Go starts at $400 without the stylus and keyboard cover.
@zacbowden @h0x0d @windowscentral #Surface Andromeda Render according to the latest patents pic.twitter.com/CmbvlfETtU
— David Breyer (@D_Breyer) December 18, 2017
New Surface Book and Surface Hub 2 could be other surprises. According to ZDNet, the company could unveil a Surface-branded headset similar to Jabra Evolve for business users.
