Microsoft's first 5G Surface device could be right around the corner
The original Surface Pro X has built-in 4G LTE connectivity
UPDATE: Windows Central's Zac Bowden has clarified on Twitter that he doesn't expect the Surface Pro 8 to go official alongside this potentially 5G-enabled Surface Pro X refresh by the end of the year after being "pushed back to 2021."
Worse yet, the innovative dual-screen Surface Neo is now tipped to come out no sooner than the first half... of 2022 after being initially scheduled for a "holiday 2020" release alongside the Surface Duo. That means Microsoft is likely to focus exclusively on the Surface Pro X2 (name TBC), as well as a low-cost Surface Laptop codenamed "Sparti" and some mysterious "accessories" at the company's fall 2020 event.
On the bright side, we can fully expect the Surface Pro 8 to radically change the external appearance of its predecessor... eventually, as well as bring a number of substantial internal upgrades to the table. Our original post follows below.
##
Apple alone is reportedly planning to hold another two special events by the end of 2020, while Samsung, Sony, and Google have all officially confirmed their intentions in the last couple of weeks to unveil hot new 5G-capable devices before long.
Then there's Microsoft, which traditionally likes to announce stuff in October and may well do so this year too, according to a Windows Central report citing unnamed "sources" on the inside. As the name suggests, this very reputable publication knows a thing or two about Windows-powered products, so we have every reason to trust that a refreshed Surface Pro X is coming sometime "this fall."
For the most part, this second-gen 2-in-1 detachable tablet computer sounds decidedly unexciting, lacking "any significant design changes" over a 2019-released 13-incher starting at $999.99. Under the hood, the Surface Pro X2 (or however the versatile device might end up being called) is expected to feature a Microsoft SQ2 processor likely to deliver minor performance improvements over the SQ1 developed in collaboration with Qualcomm that made its debut on this bad boy's predecessor.
Other fairly trivial changes are all but guaranteed to include a new platinum hue for the slate itself and expanded color options for the productivity-enhancing Type Cover keyboard, but the most significant upgrade could be one that Windows Central is not ready to vouch for just yet. Specifically, the addition of 5G connectivity.
As you might already be aware, all OG Surface Pro X configurations come with built-in 4G LTE support, and especially considering the otherwise iterative nature of this future release, it makes perfect sense for Microsoft to take things to the next level and jump on the 5G bandwagon. Hopefully, that won't bring a substantial price hike to the table, although the $1,400 and up 4G LTE-only Surface Duo strongly suggests the company is in a bit of a delusional phase as far as this stuff is concerned.
Curiously enough, there's no mention whatsoever in today's report of an impending Surface Pro 8 generation, but despite that, we remain fairly confident Microsoft will unveil more than one hybrid Windows 10 tablet as early as next month. Who knows, maybe we'll also get an update on the delayed Surface Neo development or at least a teaser of what's to come in the dual-screen field from the Redmond-based tech giant in 2021.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: