Microsoft does not only develop Windows and a bunch of services. They’ve manufactured hardware for decades and even the seemingly new Surface product line-up is more than seven years old now. What were only a handful of Surface products at first, have expanded to a wider portfolio, fine-tuned for varied audiences and consumers. There are products for students, for working professionals, artists, even casual users. At a recent event, Microsoft showcased several new innovations, alongside updates to existing models. These are likely to roll out in markets internationally, possibly here in India as well. If you haven’t been keeping track of Microsoft has been up to, join us as we look at the recent announcements and launches from the event.
Surface Duo
The first and possibly one of the most unique moves by Microsoft in recent times, must be the newly announced Surface Duo. It’s not expected till next late year, but it has our attention and for good reasons. This is Microsoft’s take on a folding design smartphone that does not run Windows, but Android. Microsoft has been developing Android and iOS apps for a while now but developing a phone around Android was a shocking revelation for many. The device will run two, 5.6-inch screens that fold into each other like a notebook. Opened, the Surface Duo unveils a massive 8.3-inch screen much like the folding smartphones we’ve seen from some other manufacturers. There aren’t many details yet and the designs shown at the event will undergo changes till its launch late in 2020.
Surface Neo
The Surface Neo was the other folding product to be launched. It has a lot in common with the Surface Duo. The Neo uses two 9-inch screens instead, that open a massive 13-inch display, the same size you find on laptops. That’s only the beginning though. The Surface Neo has a keyboard that slides into place on one of the screens. The remainder of that screen turns into a quick access panel for shortcuts, for emojis and more. Push the keyboard further up, and the lower half of the touchscreen transformers into a trackpad. The possibilities will be seen as software for it is developed. We’ll know more as the product nears launch. To enable all this to work flawlessly, Microsoft also launched a variant of Windows 10, called Windows 10X. It’s optimized to handle these folding screen layouts, software, the Surface Slim Pen and of course, the sliding keyboards. We imagine this isn’t the last we’ll see of this new format of devices.
Surface Pro X
The Microsoft Surface Pro X is another unique product. Much like the Surface Duo, it too runs an ARM architecture processor in the form of the Microsoft SQ1, that was developed alongside Qualcomm. There are several models, ranging 8GB to 16GB of RAM. Storage options are present as 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. On the ‘surface’, it’s another 13.3-inch tablet but it’s lighter than previous products, even the bezel is nearly non-existent. There is 4G LTE support, so you can be connected no matter where you are, and you also get WiFi 802.11ac. Connectivity comes in the form of two Type-C connectors. All-in-all, this is a slim tablet what with its keyboard transforms into a full-fledged laptop with support for all the usual Surface accessories.
Surface Pro 7
The trusty Surface Pro gets an upgrade in the form of the latest iteration, the Surface Pro 7. It’s still a workhorse, powered by options of 10th generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. There are RAM options of 4GB, 8GB and 16GB, along with 256GB, 512GB and 1TB solid-state drives. The result is a really compact, performance machine that’s easy to carry around. Upgrades are also in the wireless connectivity, as WiFi gets an upgrade to 802.11ax and then there’s the move to Type-C. There are also several great colour options to choose from. With a recipe that already works, Microsoft has chosen the route of minimal changes with the Surface Pro 7.
Surface Laptop 3
The Surface Laptop 3 is a new product and it comes now in two sizes, 13.5 and 15-inch. Both products have modest screen bezels, so they are sleek in appearance, and robust in performance. Power delivery varies depending on the model you choose. The 13.5-inch screen one is powered by a 10th generation Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, which is left for you to choose. AMD technology makes an appearance in the larger 15-inch model. Customers get to choose AMD’s 3rd generation, Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 processors. Both models are available in 8GB and 16GB variants. Storage options are plentiful too in the form of solid-state drives of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities. Not only are the Surface Laptops compact and powerful, they’re also light. The 13-inch models weigh close to 1.3kg while the 15-inch models hover around 1.5kg.
Surface Earbuds
Not everything Microsoft showed off had a screen. Intent on keeping up w with the competition, Microsoft launched the truly wireless, Surface Earbuds. These are a fun accessory for your smartphone, be it an Android or Apple device but there’s more to them than just being a pair of earphones. The slightly large form factor has been designed so they behave like trackpads for music playback, as well as for controlling slides when you’re showing a PowerPoint presentation in a meeting. What’s more, they have voice translation built-in, so it translates words to more than 60 languages when you speak. You also get better control of Spotify if you’re using an Android device. They’re expected to launch later this year.
Microsoft made several announcements and we can only wait to see when they arrive in India, but one thing’s for sure, they’ve also set the framework for upcoming trends. We’ll need to wait to see when these products make their presence in Indian markets.
