High-end devices are often the subject of rumor and speculation. While earlier unconfirmed reports point that Microsoft's successor to the highly-acclaimed Surface Pro 4 tablet, the Surface Pro 5, will be released in the first quarter of this year, Microsoft remains mum on the matter.
A new leak, however, seems to confirm that the Redmond tech giant is indeed working on the Surface Pro 5. According to WinCentral, an image purportedly revealing the new flagship tablet convertible has been released.
The image, titled "win10-feature-surface-pro-5-z" can be found in the official Microsoft French news page. The photo shows the alleged tablet on its kickstand, with a blue type cover and the Surface Pen in front of it (see above photo).
One has to note, however, that the Microsoft website actually names the photo "Win10-feature-surface-pro-4_image_5z" as opposed to how WinCentral reported it. This might mean the photo is for the Surface Pro 4, not the Surface Pro 5.
In addition, WinCentral also notes the appearance of the name "Surface Pro 5" on the LinkedIn profile of one of Microsoft's employees. The LinkedIn profile states that the employee is working with a team on new speech models "for devices of the future including" the Xbox, HoloLens, and the Surface Pro 5.
Apparently, the reveal was accidentally done: DroidReport says the employee, Toby Fitch, is a product designer Microsoft contracted since June 2016. After the accidental reveal leaked, Fitch cleaned his LinkedIn profile and erased the part that details his involvement in Microsoft's devices and programs. Now, Fitch says he's only working on a Microsoft project, and is part of the analog design team since July 2016.
While Microsoft hasn't released any official information yet, fans are speculating that the high-end device will surely arrive real soon, albeit at an unconfirmed date. The tech giant hasn't established a clear pattern regarding Surface Pro release dates, and so the public are left waiting.
Sunk?
In another news, the Surface Pro 3 suddenly disappeared from the Microsoft Store websites in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, TechRadar reported. This news seems odd, as Microsoft made no announcement regarding the discontinuation of the said device, and that a firmware update has been released pretty recently.
