The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 has no shortage of rumors about it, even though the device hasn’t even been confirmed officially yet. We don’t know if it’s coming or not, and it’s possible that Microsoft aren’t even planning it at the moment. Still, people love to talk about the device, and these discussions are interesting to follow as well. There are some rumors that are more prominent than others right now, but of course it’s all unconfirmed information.
The Surface Pro 4 will be an improvement over the last model in the line – obviously – but it’s been debated exactly how much it would improve the hardware. Some have been claiming that the device might actually be a minor step up in the hardware department, as Microsoft could be focusing on other aspects of it, such as its integration with their Windows ecosystem.
We don’t know if that’s true or not, but it could be an interesting coincidence with the upcoming release of Windows 10. It would make sense for Microsoft to want to bring all of their devices closer together, and even if that means getting a new Surface with less impressive hardware specifications, we certainly wouldn’t mind.
Currently, the Surface Pro 3 offers a 12 inch display with a full HD resolution, and various options for its processor, RAM and storage. Buyers are allowed to choose between a Core i3, i5 and i7 processor, as well as 4 GB or 8 GB RAM options. They also have the choice of several different storage options, up to 512 GB, and the tablet has received some positive comments for the variety of its options and its overall good customizability.
In terms of video processing, it’s equipped with an Intel HD 5000 video card. It’s not impressive by any means, but it’s certainly not a bad model either. It delivers enough performance to handle some modern games comfortably, even though this tablet is not aimed at gamers exactly, and Microsoft are apparently trying to think about all market segments when developing the Surface.
So, what could this mean for the Surface Pro 4? Better hardware would be nice, but we would also like to see the device working better with Microsoft’s other devices, like their smartphones and desktop computers running Windows. The company is already moving in that direction with the Continuum application, but they could potentially do even more, according to some, as the technology could have a lot of potential.
We don’t know any concrete details on the tablet yet, and of course Microsoft have been secretive about it, not saying anything officially. As we said above, it’s even possible that they aren’t working on a new Surface at the moment, but some market experts have been claiming that this would not be a good move for Microsoft, and they should pay attention to all market segments.
Meanwhile, the company has been actively restructuring their recently acquired Nokia business, as they announced another round of layoffs and budget cuts. After the previous layoffs a few months ago, they are now reducing their workforce by 7,800 positions, all former Nokia employees. Reports remain scarce about which parts of the company will be affected exactly, but we’ve already seen news about some particular offices closing down.
These reports will likely continue over the next few weeks, and there have been rumors that the layoffs might continue throughout the fiscal year 2016, reducing the workforce even further. We don’t know what that could mean for Microsoft’s plans for the smartphone market.
We certainly wouldn’t mind less a Surface Pro with less impressive hardware specs??? Speak for yourself… I’m only looking forward to Surface Pro 4 because of possible hw upgrades, otherwise there’s nothing in it for me! I’m especially hoping there would be upgrades/improvements to the n-trig digitizer and pen, also I’d greatly benefit from a newer/beefier cpu & igpu!