Microsoft has an upcoming event in New York City on October 26 and there is a lot less known than know this time around. Speculation of new hardware in the form of a Surface All-in-one is likely the big news with a heavier focus on what is coming to the Windows 10 and Mobile OS.
One area I am not sure about is whether Microsoft will refresh the current Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book with Intel's new 7th Generation 'Kaby Lake' processor. Many companies are dropping in the new chips which give a modest 10% boost in speed and improved battery efficiency. Not much is needed in the way of hardware revision either as the "new" Dell XPS 13 demonstrates.
Update 10/21: Amazon has updated their listings again. This time, however, the listings say "2015 VERSION", which heavily implies a 2016 refresh is imminent. See our predictions article for October 26 for more information! Thanks, Dylan, for the tip!
Curiously, on Amazon, the listings for Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book now both denote "(OLD VERSION)" in their listing title. I know from previous sourcing that Amazon does get a heads up on some marketing and new listings direct from companies. It is possible the company is trying to clean out its stock before a "refresh" comes through.
A source familiar with the matter has confirmed a Kaby Lake Surface Book that looks identical to the current version is being talked about at the company.
I have reported in the past that a Surface Book 2 with a redesigned hinge and likely other improvements is being worked on. However, the earliest I have heard of a release is likely in Spring 2017, which jives with the March date for Redstone 2 we reported last night. I have not heard anything about a Surface Pro 5 or a non-Pro version either, although that is probably due lack of confirmation rather than a change in the product line.
It would make sense for Microsoft to toss in some new processors for the devices especially if their true successors are still six months out or more. For now, just file this under a curiosity as I'll try to dig deeper for more information.
Windows Central will be on the ground in New York City for the Windows 10 event, so stay tuned.
Thanks, Robert M., for the tip!
