There are rumors that the Surface Book 2 is expected to arrive this year. However, speculations suggest that since Microsoft seems to be waiting for the new Kaby Lake processors from Intel, the Surface Book 2 will not appear until next year.

According to TechRadar, Microsoft is expected to pack the upcoming Surface Book 2 with new features and heavily improved specs, one of which is a next-gen Intel processor. However, there seems to be some concern with the mass production of Kaby Lake, the follow-up to the sixth-generation Sky Lake processors from Intel. With Microsoft intending to use the next-gen chipsets, it will need to wait for the Kaby Lake's production to push through before coming out with the Surface Book 2, as well as its other upcoming lineups like the Surface Pro 5.

Meanwhile, the industry follower said that there are also challenges with the design that Microsoft wants for the next Surface Book, so a delay in its release is to be expected.

WinBeta, however, says that should Microsoft try to bump head-to-head with its fiercest competitor, Apple, the Surface Book may be rushed for a 2016 release. The industry observer notes that the Cupertino-based Apple Inc. is rumored to come out with its MacBook Pro by the middle of the year. This means that Microsoft is expected to compete against this new lineup with the Surface Book 2, even if this leads to the new Surface Book retaining its Sky Lake chipset set-up.

While Microsoft hasn't yet confirmed if it will indeed use next-gen processors for its Surface Book 2, an upgrade to the seventh-gen Intel chipset is already expected. According to some observers, the Sky Lake architecture is one of the drawbacks to the Surface Book due to its immensely powerful, performance-driven setup, and Microsoft has no choice but to try and keep up by coming out with a number of new updates even post-launch.