14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has recently released new firmware updates for Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book devices already running the Windows 10 Creators Update.
The number of improvements included in these new firmware versions is not exactly overwhelming, though there are updates that are worth installing, especially for users relying on digital assistant Cortana for performing a series of tasks.
In the case of the Surface Pro 4, the new firmware version updates the Intel Smart Sound Technology (Intel SST) Audio Controller in System devices to 09.21.00.2102, which includes support for video playback on installed apps while offline.
As far as the Surface Book is concerned, the same driver update is offered to devices in this case as well, alongside Realtek High Definition Audio (SST) in Sound, video, and gc’s version 6.0.1.7895 which improves Cortana speech recognition.
These firmware updates can be downloaded via Windows Update only on systems running the Creators Update, and a reboot is required to complete the install. Additionally, make sure the battery is full or the device is connected to a charger before launching the update process.
New Surface devices
Both the Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book are the latest iterations of the two models, even though they launched in October 2015, with Microsoft believed to be planning new versions as soon as this year.
Originally, the Surface Pro 5 and the Surface Book 2 were expected to launch in the fall of 2016, approximately one year after the first models got to see daylight, but the unveiling was then said to be delayed until the spring of this year because certain features needed more time to be developed.
Microsoft will be holding a new event on May 2, but the Surface Book 2 is very unlikely to go live, as people close to the matter have said the company is yet to finalize work on the device, with the fall of this year now the target for the second-generation laptop.