Although Microsoft may unveil the Surface Pro 5 later this year, the new hybrid slate may not be out in the market until early 2017.
According to iTechPost, one indicator that the Surface Pro 5 will not roll out to the market until next year is Microsoft's schedule for its major Windows 10 update. The tech giant has already confirmed that is Redstone 2 update — an all-encompassing upgrade for its Windows 10 platform — is scheduled to be launched in two parts. The first update will roll out later this year, while the second part that completes the entire update will not come out until early next year. The industry follower surmises that should Microsoft unveil its new Surface products next month, it will only be "for display," and a working, user version will be released in the market after the Redstone 2 update is completed.
Coupled with the fact that the Surface Pro 4 remains to be a current-generation slate, Microsoft may be thinking that a Surface Pro 5 is not needed at this time, at least until Apple sends out indications for its iPad Pro 2 launch.
In addition, it may be that Microsoft will be shifting its focus to its Surface products for this year. Reportedly, the company will be releasing a new product lineup, the Surface AIO (All-in-One), this coming October. With a new product lineup, Microsoft may be thinking that current-generation lineup follow-ups like the Surface Pro 5 and the Surface Book 2 could take a backseat at for now.
Meanwhile, although the Surface Pro 5 remains unofficial, speculations about its features and specs have already surfaced online. It is expected that the new slate will come out with the seventh-generation Intel Kaby Lake processors, and may even feature 4K display for its top-tier version. Other purported specs include an upgraded Surface Pen and up to 16 GB of RAM.
