Microsoft reportedly planning spring hardware event without a new Surface Book 2

Microsoft is reportedly planning to hold a special Surface hardware event in the spring. ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley reports that Microsoft will be holding a Surface hardware event, despite the Surface Book 2 reportedly not ready to appear at the press event. Microsoft typically holds its Surface hardware events in New York, but the software giant has not yet officially announced plans for a spring hardware showcase.

DigiTimes claimed earlier this month that the next Surface Book would be a clamshell laptop design without a detachable display, and would be announced by the end of April. ZDNet claims the successor to the original Surface Book won’t be unveiled at this spring hardware event as it’s “not quite ready yet.” It’s not clear why Microsoft isn’t ready to announce the Surface Book 2, or whether the device has been delayed. Microsoft originally launched the Surface Book in October 2015, and the company introduced a performance base option last October.

Microsoft may be planning to launch an entirely new Surface category. A mobile Surface device is unlikely, but if Microsoft claims a clamshell laptop design is a new category for its Surface devices then that might explain DigiTimes’ report. We’re still waiting to hear Microsoft officially announce a Surface-related event, but until then the next big news event is the company’s Build developers conference in May. Microsoft is expected to detail future updates to Windows 10 at Build, and its plans for ARM-powered laptops and mixed reality headsets.

The article was published on : theverge