Microsoft issues 'save the date' for expected October hardware event
Windows 10
We Microsoft watchers have been hearing for a while now that Microsoft would hold some kind of hardware event in October in New York City. Today, August 27, Microsoft sent out "save the date" placeholders for the October 2, 2019 event.
For the past couple of years, Microsoft has held a separate hardware launch event in the fall in New York. This year, I'm hearing that we will see and hear about some new Surface devices, including a Qualcomm 8cx-based Surface ARM device at the event. That device, which some of my contacts say could be priced around $999, will be an Always-Connected PC with built-in LTE support.
There also has been talk about Microsoft introducing an AMD-based Surface Laptop at this fall hardware event. A refreshed Surface Pro device, possibly with USB-C support, could debut at this event, as well, some tipsters have said. I've heard some talk that Microsoft won't be adding built-in LTE support to new Intel-based Surface Pro devices, moving forward, but instead will make built-in LTE a feature of ARM-based devices only.
Microsoft could potentially use the October event to announce a ship date for its HoloLens 2 device. Microsoft provided the specs and pricing for HoloLens 2 earlier this year.
I don't think Microsoft will introduce its dual-screen, Courier-like Centaurus device at this event, however. Even though Microsoft officials showed off advanced renders of the device internally this summer, I don't think it's ready for introduction yet, based on tips I've gotten. It sounds like if it does end up coming to market, Centaurus could be a 2020 thing. Both Centaurus and HoloLens 2 are expected to be running Windows Core OS inside.
Microsoft is not commenting on what to expect at the October event or with its future Surface line-up at this time.
At Microsoft's last year's fall hardware event -- also on October 2 -- the company introduced Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Studio 2 and Surface headphones.