14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft skipped its typical one-year hardware upgrade cycle in October when it focused specifically on the brand-new Surface Studio and the Windows 10 Creators Update, so new Surface Pro and Surface Book models are now expected sometime this spring.
Until now, however, Microsoft has been completely tight-lipped on everything related to the new devices, but sources familiar with the matter said the Surface Pro 5 and the Surface Book 2 were projected to launch in early 2017, most likely together with the Windows 10 Creators Update.
And as WalkingCat spotted today, the Surface Pro 5 has been in the works for a while, with a company employee confirming the project in the details posted on his LinkedIn profile.
Toby Fitch, who is currently a Product Designer 2 at Microsoft, says in his profile that, starting June 2016, he was part of the Analog Speech Design Team, which “is focused on R&D and creating new speech models with multidisciplinary design approach for devices of the future including but not limited to: HoloLens, Surface Pro 5, Xbox” (emphasis is ours).
The Surface Pro 5
Even though there’s so little information available about the Surface Pro 5 at this point, it’s not hard to speculate that the new model would come with upgraded specs, including Kaby Lake processors and 4K screens.
Microsoft is also expected to boost RAM and storage options, while also rolling out several design improvements that would make devices lighter than before.
In the case of the Surface Book 2, it’s believed that Microsoft focused specifically on eliminating the hinge gap that was criticked by some people for letting dust slip in between the keyboard and the screen. Just like the Surface Pro 5, the Book 2 would come with Kaby Lake chips and important upgrades in terms of RAM and storage.
More information should emerge in the coming weeks and months, as we get closer to the rumored launch date of both the Surface Pro 5 and the Surface Book 2.