14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has been working on a Surface all-in-one PC for quite some time now, and sources familiar with the matter previously said that a debut could take place sometime this year, possibly in October, when other models could get upgrades too.
And now a new report from ZDNet suggests that Microsoft could take the wraps off the new Surface AIO PC in the last week of October, when the company could hold a bigger conference involving partners as well.
It’s believed that Microsoft could adopt a different strategy this year, and instead of launching several new models of its own, the company could only introduce the Surface PC and then take the wraps off devices built by its partners. Last year, Microsoft’s hardware event witnessed the introduction of the Surface Book, the Surface Pro 4, the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, and the second-generation Microsoft Band.
Surface Cardinal
The source speculates that the event could take place this year in the last week of October, possibly on October 26, and it turns out that Microsoft has even given this conference a codename, as it’s internally referred to as Project Rio.
And speaking of codenames, the Surface all-in-one PC is believed to be called Surface Cardinal, but it’s not yet clear if Microsoft wants to keep this moniker after launch or not. The chances are that it doesn’t, and the device could be simply called the Surface PC.
In terms of features, the Surface PC will be one of the most powerful PCs on the market, and it could be offered in three different configurations and screen sizes, namely 21, 24, and 27 inches. It will feature the Perceptive Pixel screen tech that Microsoft’s already using on the Surface Hub.
Microsoft hasn’t yet confirmed the Surface PC, but all signs seem to point to the fact that such a device is indeed coming. And for a company that’s looking into ways to expand into the hardware business, this would be the next logical step, and Microsoft seems to be ready to do it.