Microsoft would not be unveiling the Surface Pro 5 anytime soon, but the Redmond-based tech giant sure appears to be gearing up for a hardware launch within the next few days. As the company’s Shanghai event later this week draws closer, image leaks of a new Surface device, rumored to be christened simply as the Surface Pro, have emerged. Needless to say, the Surface Pro 4 successor looks gorgeous.
Rumors of a Surface Pro 5 have been emerging from the rumor mill for a very long time, with numerous leaks and speculations stating that Microsoft is developing a new hybrid device as a successor to the critically acclaimed Surface Pro 4. While the rumors have been very consistent, however, the device never made it to any of the tech giant’s recent product launches. The Surface Studio and the Surface Laptop were released over the past few months, but the Surface Pro 5 stubbornly remained hidden.
Things appeared to take a turn for the worse when Microsoft’s Panos Panay himself stated that a Surface Pro 5 device is currently not in development. The Microsoft executive further said that the Surface Pro 4’s design would be competitive enough for the next few years. Unsurprisingly, Surface fans were disheartened by Panay’s statements, especially since the leaks about an upcoming Surface hybrid device continued to trickle down in a steady stream.
See you in Shanghai. May 23. #MicrosoftEvent #Surface https://t.co/aMgvkkqE52 pic.twitter.com/vzcK9MqIpf
— Panos Panay (@panos_panay) May 5, 2017
As it turned out, Panay’s statements, while confirming that a Surface Pro 5 device would not be coming anytime soon, were also a tease that a new hybrid would be getting a release later this year. Prolific journalist and tech leaker Paul Thurrott, for one, has stated that while a Surface Pro 5 reveal might not happen, Microsoft would still release a new Surface-branded device this year. Instead of a full upgrade, however, the new Surface device would instead be a refresh of the Surface Pro 4 that was released back in 2015.
Rumors about the new Surface device point to several internal upgrades that Microsoft would be equipping the device with. The most prominent of these is the inclusion of Intel’s powerful seventh-generation Kaby Lake processor, which would give the upcoming hybrid device far more power and battery life than its predecessor. While the full specs of the new Surface Pro device remain unknown, there is a good chance that the bulk of the improvements in the device would be found under the hood.
If a set of recently leaked images are any indication, the new Surface Pro hybrid would be distinguishable from the Surface Pro 4 due to its external appearance. As stated by MSN Power User , the new Surface Pro hybrid would be featuring numerous design cues from both the Surface Pro 4 and the recently released Surface Laptop. As could be seen in the leaked images of the upcoming device, the result of is a stunning new hybrid that is far more aesthetically pleasing than the Surface Pro 4.
https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/865376476438441985
Immediately noticeable from the image leaks is the new Surface Pro’s Alcantara fabric-covered keyboard, which was previously limited only to the hybrid’s signature edition keyboards. For the upcoming device, the sleek, elegant keyboard would be made standard across the board. Just like the Surface Laptop, the new Surface Pro would debut with four color options: Charcoal, Burgundy, Platinum, and Teal. These colors would be reflected in the device’s Surface Pen as well.
The fact that the Surface Pro’s Surface Pen would have a particular color has resonated well with fans of the device. For one, Surface Pro devices have usually been released with the stylus included. Since the Surface Pen follows a specific color template, it appears that the upcoming device would finally be shipping with both the stylus and the keyboard. These are, or course, speculations, so do take these with a grain of salt.
More details about the new Surface Pro are set to be revealed later this week. Pricing for the device remains unknown, but rumors are high that the device would be priced similarly as previous models.
[Featured Image by Spencer Platt/Getty Images]
