Microsoft’s massive device launch: Expect new Surfaces, Lumia phones, and Band - morrowtheatione

Hurricane Joaquin may be skipping Greater New York City, but Microsoft's own whirlpool of hardware is still expected to hit October 6—nearly likely three novel Lumia phones, an updated Surface In favou 4 tablet, and a new Microsoft Band.

You'd be forgiven for thought that Microsoft's gimmick business bequeath steal the spotlight. But their achiever could arguably turn along something other: software.

Somewhere within Redmond, Microsoft executives are making a choice: Come they show Microsoft's new flagship phones linear the safe, stable, and implanted Windows Phone 8.1 Operating system? Or testament this be the official approaching-out company for Windows 10 Mobile?

That's just one of a swirl of storylines as Microsoft readies its found. So there are the rumored flagship Lumia phones, the Lumia 950 and 950XL, which have appeared seemingly everywhere but the event itself and are the front superior Windows phones in over a yr. (Microsoft may as wel found a third call, the Lumia 550.) Then there's the launch of the second of the Band seaworthiness trackers, a product Microsoft ne'er seemed all that committed to as the market for wearables cools.

The most boring part of the launching could be the cardinal that Microsoft should be most stimulated about: the Surface Pro 4, a refresh of Microsoft's powerful productivity tablet that's nearing a jillio dollars in gross per quarter.

PCWorld will be reporting live and providing our hands-on impressions of what we're allowed to touch and feel. So whatisgoing to be on that point? Hera's our best guess.

Surface Pro 4

The Shallow Pro 3 that launched about 17 months agone was finally the Windows tablet everyone wanted. Its success turned on its design: a svelte, streamlined productivity PC that just soh happens to be a tablet. Microsoft's Surface job raked in $888 million in revenue during the June calendar quarter, and it's certainly possible that Microsoft could disclose that it screw-topped a cool billion for the just-completed third quarter.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 shown on stage — Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 shown on stage in Crataegus oxycantha 2014.

If Microsoft announces a Come on Professional 4, many expect information technology will include Intel's new Skylake nick for increased performance. I would like to see a Windows Hello camera assembled in to enable biometric logins, simply the recent launch of the Lenovo Miix 700—with aerect-adorned Hello television camera—makes that a bit in question.

1 rumor also claims that the Surface Pro 4 will essentially eliminate the bezel — on all but the side with the Windows button, presumably. Tom Warren of The Verge suggests that the SP4 could have a 4K or even 5K display, to slide by with a new stylus, and perhaps a fingerprint reader. I'd hope for the latter only not the former, because I'd rather not have a high-reticuloendothelial system presentation feeding away all my battery life.

Earl Warren also suggests that Microsoft could live preparing a monster of a storm: a full 14-inch "laptop"-y version of the SP4, compared with the 11.6-edge presentation we'Re accustomed with the Surface Pro 4. This is a moderate and provocative possibility, though you'd deliver to balance a larger size's greater productiveness against its impact on portability.

Unmatched angle slightly worries me: Six months ago, a USB-C connector was considered the hot untested I/O direction, because of its fulgent throughput, ease of use (you can align a USB-C connecter in either direction) and the fact that you can route power through it besides. The SP3 has just one USB-3 port. The problem is this: there aren't any USB-C charging-and-I/O dongles available now. If an SP4 includes just one USB-C port—and we don't know if IT will—you won't exist able to charge the tablet and use it to drive an external display until those dongles transport.

Ultimately, there are theanother Surfaces you need to worry about—the ones that don't come from Microsoft. Lenovo already announced its Miix 700 at IFA, which waterfall between the Shallow 3 and the Come out In favor 3 in terms of specs. VAIO (the spinoff brand once owned aside Sony) has its own Aboveground clone, the $2,199 VAIO Z Analyse, and we'Ra hearing rumors of one of these daysanother ready in the wings. Ladies and gentlemen, the Surface clone is going to be a thing.

Lumia 950, Lumia 950XL, and Lumia 550

At this spot, whatdon't we know about Microsoft's new flagship phones? A Microsoft presentation in Spanish has described the phones in detail. Then Microsoft did, itself, on its own Store page. About the only discrepancy is that the midrange Lumia 550 appeared connected Microsoft's Latin The States leak, while that phone was omitted from the Joint Kingdom's Microsoft Depot page.

To recap:

Lumia 950

Display: 5.2 inches, QuadHD
Processor: Qualcomm 6-core Snapdragon 808
Camera: 20MP PureView rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and dual flash; 5MP HD front camera
Storage: 3GB RAM, 32GB inner storage
Battery: 3,000 mAh, with fast charging via USB-C

Lumia 950XL

Display: 5.7 inches, QuadHD
C.P.U.: Qualcomm 8-core Snapdragon 810
Camera: 20MP PureViw tail television camera with OIS and triple newsbreak/5 Mpixel front camera
Storage: 3GB RAM, 32GB domestic storage
Battery: 3,300 mAh, with rapid charging via USB-C

Lumia 550

Reveal: 5 inches, HD resolution
Processor: Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 1GHz
Camera: 5MP rear autofocus camera with flash; 2MP frontal camera optimized for Skype
Computer storage: 1GB RAM, 8GB internal repositing; 128GB microSD card
Battery: 1,905 mAh with rapid charging

All of these phones bequeath constitute fashioned to run Windows 10 Racy, Microsoft's upcoming version of Windows 10 for phones and tablets.

Microsoft's flagship feature looks to be Continuum, a feature that allows your phone to connect to a monitor and run general apps—which would ordinarily glucinium forced aside the sound's display—and run them at the resolution of your monitor. This effectively turns your ring into a PC, and that's a compelling message to sell.

microsoftoops4 — …from Microsoft itself.

The way Microsoft does this is via what Microsoft is calling the Microsoft Show Dock, a a small package that appears to have USB and microUSB inputs and connects to an external expose. According to the slide, it will also own a Bluetooth connection well-stacked in.

But Windows 10 Mobile is… kiiiind of… set for prime time. A teentsy group of users pouring preview builds, including myself, are associate with how Windows 10 Mobile operates. But for many in the press—mean U.S.A Today, Time, and others—this Crataegus oxycantha be their first experience with the unaccustomed OS.

I have none doubt that Windows 10 Mobile volition be demonstrated on microscope stage, possibly with some sunrise apps. But I will bevery fascinated to see what OS powers the phones the press are allowed to play with, and in what context Windows 10 Mobile is referred to—as a preview, or American Samoa a finished product. I would likewise gestate to hear updates on how Microsoft's developer tools to port Mechanical man and iOS apps to Windows 10 are progressing.

In conclusion, in that location's the question: Who leave sell them? Microsoft has longitudinal aforementioned that it's finding many success outside the U.S. with Windows Phone than within it. On Friday, Reddit noticed that T-Mobile USA had purged all of its Windows Phones from its store. Glade out inventory? Or is T-Mobile through with with Microsoft?

Microsoft Dance band 2

When it launched, I matte Microsoft's Isthmus was a comparatively useful wear that delayed well against the up-to-the-minute state of the competition. Unfortunately, the Apple Watch debuted concisely after. Android Outwear watches also have iterated quickly, plenty that they're arguably dominating the smartwatch market.

microsoft band ver 2 — The new, curvier, Microsoft Banding.

Since the Band debuted, Microsoft has given its wearable antimonopoly a few updates of significance. One expected update to the Band 2 is a curved display that will help it conform more naturally to the wrist, as well as possibly some other sensors. Anthony Charles Lynton Blair Hanley Frank, my colleague at IDG Newsworthiness Service, reports that Microsoft employees have also been seen wearing Band 2s with metallic clasps: chromium-plate and rose gold.

The Ring epitomizes what I call Microsoft's Nintendo syndrome: great number one-company experiences, only a scramble to win third-party developer endure.

Newborn Xbox experience?

It's not a phone operating room a tablet, but Xbox is another Microsoft platform due for an update. Microsoft recently asked a diminished group of people to try out what it's calling the New Xbox See, persona of the Windows 10-ish revamp of the console's OS, including backward compatibility with Xbox 360 games.

xbox one experience preview — A screenshot of what the new Xbox Experience will look like.

Microsoft has secure to coil this vamp out this fall; I'm region of the minute group of people who have been invited to join, although, Eastern Samoa of the time I'm writing this, I haven't received the construct heretofore. It's possible we'll get a peek at what's skyward this Tuesday.

A extended deal

Microsoft spent about $7.2 billion to produce Nokia's devices business all but two age ago. This week, we'll see if information technology's money well spent.

Anyone who's followed Microsoft's hardware business concern, still, knows that the ship's company can (and leave) brave out huge losses without farsighted-term consequences. Two long time ago, Microsoft wrote down $900billion in inventory after the Surface RT tanked. Simply Microsoft stuck with it, and the Surface Pro 3 now represents one of the company's unqualified successes. We could pick up the same rather resurgence in Windows phones, although I'd argue that challenge is considerably greater. W e'll hold out you posted on the day-of as word arises, and stay tuned for hands-on with any new devices Oregon software that arise.