Microsoft’s Next Surface Device Could Be a Pen Dock

Recently-discovered patents have suggested that Microsoft is looking into several major improvements for the Surface Pen, including a touchscreen a la Apple’s Touch Bar and even a foldable form factor that would let users wear it over their ears.

While some of these ideas sound rather awkward, here’s something with a few more chances to actually reach mass production.

Microsoft watcher WalkingCat discovered new API code in the most recent Windows 10 preview build that seems to indicate the Redmond-based software giant could be working on something like a Surface Pen dock.

Convenient charging

At first glance, you could easily think that you don’t need a Surface Pen dock because you can already attach the device to your Surface using the magnetic system. But on the other hand, a dock would obviously come with many more benefits, and the first one that comes to mind is support for charging.

Just imagine you’re working on your Surface and when you’re done, you just put your Surface Pen into the dock and have it recharged while you’re taking a break.

This obviously involves other improvements on the Surface Pen side, like a rechargeable battery and a wireless charging system, but these could all be part of the next generation if this is the direction that Microsoft wants to embrace.

The API was discovered in Windows 10 build 18922, which is the most recent release for Windows insiders in the Fast ring. This build is part of the Windows 10 20H1 development branch, and given that this feature update is projected to go live in the spring of 2020, there’s a chance we may not see the new Surface Pen dock, if it does receive the green light, earlier.

The next Windows 10 feature update is called 19H2, and it should go live in the fall. Testing builds are not yet available.