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What to expect from Microsoft's Lumia event: Lumia 950, 950 XL, new Surface, new Band

By Victor Hristov

Updated: Oct 05, 2015, 6:11 AM

32comments

Windows

What to expect from Microsoft's Lumia event: Lumia 950, 950 XL, new Surface, new Band

After more than a year of silence, Microsoft is ready to take out the big guns: the new family of Lumia phones, a new Surface Pro 4 tablet and the successor to the powerful Microsoft Band tracker. And this might be just a taste of what's to come, as the company will surely have some surprises up its sleeve.

Let's start with the phones.

Microsoft Lumia 950

Just like Samsung, Apple, Google, Sony and most other phone makers, Microsoft bets on not one, but two flagship phones in different sizes - a smaller and more compact one, and a larger, phablet-size superphone. The Lumia 950 is the regular-sized phone, coming with a 5.2-inch display and a Snapdragon 808 system chip (this should remind you of the Nexus 5X as it has similar specs).

The Microsoft Lumia 950 has leaked out in press images and multiple rumors all have agreed on the specs, so here is a quick look at the technical details:

Screen: 5.2-inch (resolution could be as high as 2560 x 1440 pixels)

SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 808

RAM: 3GB
Internal Storage: 32GB, with microSD card slot

Cameras: 20-megapixel with F/1.9 aperture, 5MP selfie cam
Connectivity: 4G LTE, dual-band WiFi Miracast and USB Type C connector
Battery: removable, 3000mAh with rapid charging, wireless charging

All of this paints a picture of a top-tier device that has a little less power than the most powerful phones in this class. After all, most Snapdragon 808 phones are a step behind the 810 in terms of performance. We've also seen such phones come at a slightly lower price than the standard flagship-grade $650, so we might see this new phone also be a bit more affordable.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL

The second phone that Microsoft will bring is a phablet: the Lumia 950 XL.

With a 5.7-inch screen, it plays in roughly the same league as the iPhone 6s Plus, the Galaxy Note5, and Nexus 6P. It goes to feature the Snapdragon 810 system chip, which is the most advanced Android chip available today, and here are the rest of the specs highlights:

Screen: 5.7-inch (resolution could be as high as 2560 x 1440 pixels)

SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 810

RAM: 3GB
Internal Storage: 32GB, with microSD card slot

Cameras: 20-megapixel with F/1.9 aperture, 5MP selfie cam
Connectivity: 4G LTE, dual-band WiFi Miracast and USB Type C connector
Battery: non-removable, 3340mAh with rapid charging, wireless charging

The best feature about the new duo of high-end Lumia phones is the fact that they will run on the latest Windows 10 platform with support for Continuum, the feature that allows you to connect them to a monitor and have the interface transform into desktop-friendly one. This will theoretically make it easy to use them basically as your main computer.

Keep in mind that both new Lumias will come with the futuristic, super cool infra-red iris scanner for Windows Hello facial recognition, a new and fast way to securely unlock your phone.

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and a Surface laptop?

The Surface Pro 4 will likely not be much of a surprise: it will likely come with a similar design language, but an upgraded system chip and some updated features. One more fascinating new feature is the addition of a fingerprint scanner that could be built in the Surface Type Cover and will add an appreciated level of security (keep in mind that Surface is commonly used in corporate environments).

The bigger surprise might turn out to be a Surface laptop of sorts, a new type of a device that could feature a 14-inch screen with Windows 10 and a Windows Hello camera for quick recognition. This one is said to be a true monster in terms of specs, coming in a version beefed up to 16GB of RAM (no typo) and as much as 1TB of space.

Microsoft Band 2

The Microsoft Band 2 is the successor of the original Band, and design images have already leaked out, showing evolved hardware with sleeker looks. It will now feature a curved display and a more ergonomic form factor.

The biggest appeal of the original Band was the huge amount of sensors on board, and the Band 2 is likely to polish the accuracy of readings and - possibly add new sensors to the mix. The smart fitness band is expected to arrive to Spain, France, Italy, and Germany, four new markets in addition to the US and UK.

Conclusion

All of this will inevitably be the big highlight of Microsoft's device launches for the year. You can learn more about the gadgets tomorrow.

The Microsoft Lumia event begins on Tuesday, October 6th at 10AM ET / 7AM PT.

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Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.