Sources speaking to ZDNet and Thurott.com have dropped the codename for a major overhaul to Microsoft’s Surface Pro: ‘Carmel’. According to ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, the product won’t launch until mid-2019 but will be heavily redesigned.
Both reports also reference codenames for the previously reported upcoming Xbox and HoloLens sequels, known internally as ‘Scarlett’ and Sydney, respectively.
Since Microsoft issued what amounted to a processor refresh for last year’s Surface Pro device, fans have been chomping at the bit for a true successor. Even Microsoft resisted naming the device the ‘Surface Pro 5,’ for Surface lead Panos Panay felt it wasn’t different enough to deserve the numbered moniker.
Panay told CNET in an interview last year that Microsoft will formally issue the next numbered Surface Pro “when it's meaningful and the change is right, we'll put it on market.” He clarified that “you'll see that same meaningful impact when Pro 5, or Pro Next hits the market," swiftly adding that, "there's no such thing as a Pro 5."
ZDNet’s report assumes the next Surface Pro device will be the ‘Surface Pro 6,’ though that may just be a reference to that this will have been the sixth Surface Pro.
However, a reference later in the report cites that refreshes of the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop could land later this year with 8th-generation Intel Core processors, and that they could employ USB-C ports in conjunction with Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect port.
So, regardless of whether Microsoft calls this heavily redesigned Surface Pro the ‘5’ or ‘6’, know that the firm is hard at work on making a new 2-in-1 tablet worthy of a number.
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