New patent details another innovation for Surface PCs

Feb 12, 2021 13:36 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft is betting big on its Surface lineup of devices in the long term, and until now, models like the Surface Pro and Surface Book have spearheaded the company’s push in the hardware market.

Needless to say, what set the Surface lineup apart from the rest of the market is Microsoft’s investments in more and more innovations, and now it looks like the software giant is getting ready for a new big first in the hardware world.

Surface models could at one point get interchangeable backs that would allow users to easily customize their devices according to their liking.

Of course, such a feature could also allow for new hardware capabilities, though right now, Microsoft explaining in a patent that its new invention is aimed at computing devices and not necessarily at Surface products. But given Surface is Microsoft’s number one hardware product, it goes without saying it’d be one of those to adopt the new tech.

Still a patent for now

The patent is called “Interchangeable housing component for portable computing devices,” and as noted by German site WU, it’s dated February 2, 2021.

“Interchangeable housing panel components for a display housing of a portable computing device. The interchangeable housing panel component is sized and dimensioned to be received by a receiving portion of the computing device. A first interchangeable housing panel component is quickly installed by a user to customize the appearance of their computing device and, when desired, is also quickly removed, from the computing device,” the patent reads.

“A second interchangeable housing panel component can then be installed on the same computing device, transforming the appearance of their computing device. When desired, the second interchangeable housing panel component can be removed and the first interchangeable housing panel component can be reinstalled, returning the computing device to its previous appearance. The housing panel components and computing device include provisions for easy removal and installation of the components.”

Needless to say, this idea is still in the patent stage, so it remains to be seen if it ever reaches the mass production phase.