Microsoft released a mild Surface Book update a few months ago, during a press event whose star was the Surface Studio all-in-one desktop. But that was not the Surface Book 2 some of you were expecting. A new report indicates that Microsoft might soon announce the next-gen Surface Book laptop, complete with one design change we didn’t really see coming.
The new Surface Book entered mass production recently, says, with shipments expected to rise each month.
Sources from the supply chain say Microsoft will announce the new notebook at the end of March or April, right around the time when Apple is expected to unveil its 2017 line of iPads. While no release date is offered, we’ll also point out that the next major Windows 10 update is right around the corner.
The Surface Book 2 will not be a 2-in-1 tablet/laptop like its predecessor. Instead, Microsoft apparently adopted the traditional clamshell design for the device instead. The laptop should feature a 13.5-inch display and a magnesium-aluminum chassis, the same report noted.
Furthermore, the new Surface Book is expected to cost less than its predecessor, with prices starting at $1,000. The original Surface Book’s starting price was $1,499, going all the way up to $3,199. Microsoft recently slashed the entry price down to $1,299, as it’s looking to clear inventory.
The sources say that Microsoft is lowering the price of the new Windows 10 machine to attract more buyers. The detachable design, meanwhile, is going to be discontinued as it created conflict with the Surface Pro family.
Microsoft supposedly sold just 500,000 Surface Books last year, but the number is expected to go up to 1.2 million to 1.5 million in 2017.
