With Surface Pro 3's unparalleled laptop/tablet ability over any other competing brand in the market, Surface Pro 4 is now deemed as the future of Microsoft to break its own innovation record.
Just 10 months ago when a sleek Surface Pro 3 was launched, Surface Pro 4 is expected to bring in more than what its predecessor has contributed both in utility and design. However, the device is not expected to give a whole new overhaul for Surface Pro 3.
An analyst predicts Microsoft will only have an "updated" version of SP3 with an ultra-low power processor, with a significant redesign. This must be called Surface Pro 4 set to release in the fall 2015 alongside Windows 10.
A few engineering tweaks might also hit the device which may come from the Skylake chip, a fifth-generation 14nm processor in exchange for Broadwell. Skylake processor will need new motherboard. It helps device to speed up with less battery consumption. Apple's next-generation 2015 MacBook Pro is first rumored to possess the chip.
With this, Microsoft can possibly close in on MacBook in terms of battery performance. According to Intel, its Core M chip can prolong a device's battery life by 1.7 hours. However, Skylake presents a new architechture which means devices have to undergo redesign too by removing cluttered wires, replacing Ethernet with 802.11 ac. It will eliminate power cords for wireless charging and add LTE support.
Running with Windows 10, the device will have Microsoft Hello, a biometric technology first made in concept by Apple's iPhones and Samsung's Galaxy phones. Hello uses a fingerprint reader or infrared depth camera to detect face. It will then be validated to Microsoft services and around the web. Hello will not be using password so other authentication services might also be used in the device.
For camera options, Surface Pro 4 might have the Kinect version of Windows and the RealSense 3D camera of Intel. Meanwhile, a stylus pen will also tag along the device for easier note taking.
Surface Pro 4 is pegged at $899 to $1,799 depending on the RAM version.
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