Microsoft's release date plans for the Surface Pro 5 and Surface Book 2 are likely to shape up in the second half of 2016 with the release date to happen in the last few months of the year. This as reports emerge that the software giant has decided to delay the rumored Windows 10-powered Surface Phone until early 2017.
In a report, Windows Central said that Microsoft is actually releasing not one but three Surface Phone models the beefed up version of Windows 10 Mobile. The same report indicated that consumers can expect a budget Surface smartphone, a high-end edition and a version that is designed for business use. But all devices are seen to pack a Windows 10 features that will enable users to convert the mobile phones into desktops.
A related story from PC World also suggests that no Windows 10 phones will come from Microsoft this year, which points to two scenarios - the official retirement of the Microsoft Lumia brand (purchased from Nokia) and the focus this year on hybrid devices.
Earlier, Microsoft has announced that the Windows 10 Anniversary Update will begin arriving June 2016, prompting rumors that the Windows 10 upgrade formerly known as Redstone will be followed by the refresh of the Surface 2-in-1 devices. The Surface Pro 5 and Surface Book 2 are expected to pick up where their 2015 predecessors had left off.
Among the hardware and feature upgrades supposedly packed with next-generation hybrid devices are 4K display, further adoption of the USB Type-C port, enhanced battery power and a magnetic Surface Pen that also charges up when docked on the Surface device.
The sequels to last year's Surface devices are also rumored to rock Intel's Kaby Lake processing chip that promises to deliver better CPU and GPU performances. However, reports said that waiting for Kaby Lake could lead to a significant push back of the Surface Pro 5 and Book 2 release calendar as the new Intel chip architecture is seen more optimized with Redstone 2.
Redstone 2 is another major phase of the Windows 10 update process that is not expected until 2017.
As mentioned, the Surface Pro 5 and Surface Book 2 release date will follow the Windows 10 Anniversary Update that will commence rolling out June 2016 with both episodes paving the way for the hotly-anticipated Surface Phone and Redstone 2 debut in the initial months of 2017.