New rumors claim that a new tablet launch is imminent

Feb 23, 2015 13:20 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft is very likely to release a new Surface tablet sometime this year, and various online reports claim that the company is very likely to present it next month, before a public launch in May or June.

The so-called Surface Pro 4, which could also launch as Surface 4, depending on Microsoft's plans, is already in the works, our tipsters say, but the official release won't happen sooner than the fall of 2015. And there's a very simple reason the unveiling would only take place in late 2015: Windows 10.

Basically, the Surface Pro 4 will be Microsoft's next flagship that will be powered by Windows 10, so until the new operating system is ready, you can't actually expect a new tablet to be up for grabs. What's more, the Surface Pro 4 could help Microsoft boost sales during the back-to-school season, so that could be the right moment to bring it out.

The Surface Pro 4 will be the successor to the Surface Pro 3 and will come with upgraded hardware, but just like the current model, it would be available at a fairly high price.

Details on hardware capabilities are missing right now, but expect the company to promote it as a laptop replacement, just like the existing version, as the Surface Pro 4 could come with a removable keyboard and a 12-inch (or even larger) screen.

Surface 4 or Surface Pro 4?

The name of the upcoming device is one of the biggest enigmas right now, as Microsoft could drop the Pro moniker and simply call its tablet Surface 4. The reason is as simple as it could be: the company abandoned the other versions of the Surface lineup, which were powered by Windows RT, so the next Surface running Windows 10 would be pretty much the only version of the device.

And yet, there are rumors claiming that a Surface Mini with an 8-inch screen is also in the works, so in case this indeed comes out at some point in the future, the Surface Pro 4 designation would make much more sense.

As a conclusion, there are slight to none chances to see the Surface Pro 4 getting released next month, so expect the new device to see the light of day later this year.