Microsoft expected to announce new Surfaces in London on October 31

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Microsoft is holding a third Surface keynote in October this year at Future Decoded in London, where it may announce a new Surface Book.

Microsoft has launched new hardware on two occasions already this year, with the Surface Laptop being announced at a special Windows 10 event back in May, and the new Surface Pro being announced in China later that very same month. Now, we're it appears Microsoft is planning a third Surface keynote at Future Decoded in London in October.

Microsoft has revealed to The Verge that Panos Panay will be present at Future Decoded next month in London, likely to announce new Surface hardware that has been rumored for some time. Microsoft is widely expected to unveil a new Surface Book, a device well overdue for a refresh being almost two years old.

We may also see Microsoft announce the availability of the Surface Pro LTE, a SKU that Microsoft said back in May would be coming later this year. The event may also see Microsoft show off new third party devices from hardware makers launching new Windows 10 on ARM devices, which appears to still be on track for launching this Fall. It's not clear if Microsoft is planning to launch its own ARM hardware this year, however.

If you're someone who has been waiting for a Surface Book refresh, the wait may soon be over. No matter where or when it happens, WIndows Central will be on the ground to cover all the news as it happens, so stay tuned to Windows Central for that and more. Are you interested in a Surface Book 2? Let us know in the comments!

Zac Bowden
Zac Bowden

Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows 10 on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter: @zacbowden.
107 Comments
  • I'm waiting for a new Surface ARM!  10" form factor to replace the discontinued S3.
  • I'll go with a 3rd party over Surface ARM device. I just don't like proprietary charging ports, which Microsoft forces on their consumers. USB-C is the only connector that should be on new devices.
  • That's what on the things I enjoy about the Surface 3, microUSB charging.  It may be painfully slow, but it's not propietary. 
  • Too bad they didn't go with USB-C on the Surface 3. I have had really bad luck with Micro USB ports failing. A couple of Lumia phones had failed USB ports, among other devices like headsets. I'd never buy anything that charges with Micro USB again. There is only one choice going forward, just hope Microsoft understands that some day. But, at least we have third parties that do get it.
  • I had a similar problem with my square peg. Hard to get into those round holes, without a bit of due encouragement!
  • Although I understand the argument against proprietary connectors, I would prefer that they develop a magnetic USB-C standard. The current USB-C cables and connectors (at least the good ones) are are too stiff and too clunky. After explaining the differences between USB-C, Thunderbolt 3 and Apple's certified Thunderbolt 3 implementation to various people, sometimes repeatedly, I do understand MS's position on USB-C. If you have a Thunderbolt 3 dock, it should work the same with any Thunderbolt 3 device, PC or Apple. But apparently based on reviews of third party Thunderbolt 3 docks Apple doesn't play nice. Considering they are on of the architects of Thunderbolt you would think the "standard" is THE "standard". Also, the fact that USB-C cables look identical but vary in their ability to support Thunderbolt 3 fully, also makes the standard less of a standard. Don't even get me started on power supplies for USB-C and Thunderbolt docks. Vendors frequently provide lower wattage power supplies that can't handle fully utilizing the dock. Doesn't blow up, but will drain your battery throughout the day if you actually hook up a few USB devices and two monitors.
  • I do not want USB C due to I use it for charing only. The cable still more expensive and USB is still workable with cheaper option. Moreover, a lot of Apple on USB C equipped have problems of handling power from it. Some McBook mainboard burnt due to its early adoption.
  • How is USB proprietary?  Or are you talking about the power adaptor plug?  FUD not. USB adaptors are a dime a dozen on eBay. Micro USB to USB C included. How has this conversation turned to a perceived issue? Stupid question sorry. Carry on.
  • That'd be awesome. Hoping to see a WoA Surface device to set the standard for other OEM's.
  • The 10 inch market isnt really where the growth is. The sweet spot for 2 in 1's is 12+ inch screens, any smaller and it loses its appeal as a productivity device. Sure a small niche of vocal Microsoft fans make it seem like there is demand but in reality the market for such a device is smaller making it less attractive for OEM's.
  • 10" still has a market, look at the iPad.  
  • Yup. I want a 10 inch Windows on Arm ultra portable  store only (secure) arm therefore great battery life but a full productivity mouse/keyboard device  all the benefits of iPad but in Windows form with mouse input.  Basically my white collar wet dream :-P
  • That's no different the the Surface 2.  At a minimum needs to have an upgrade path to Windows Pro for full productivity.
  • except for one big difference, x86 compatibility.
  • The benefit of the iPad is the app store. Put the Windows store on it and that thing is useless.
  • A year ago you would have been right. Windows store is looking up these days. 
  • The Windows store has better games than iOS EVER will.
  • I'm all for the 10" but it's almost impossible to find something with a better CPU than an Atom.  12" is too big to be used as a tablet.  For real work machine I go all the way to 15 or 17".  Portability is 10" (max 11" like my current Yoga 710 with Core-m5). Anything between 11 and 15 is either too small for work or too big for tablet / 2-in-1 use.
  • As long as a new midsize Surface device has Arm, and doesn't hang up as much as my current Surface 3, I'm in.. It just needs a little more power for light load use.
  • Just don't expect SD835 to be faster than the Atom X7.
  • I wouldn't think I would need to.. But next generation ARM processors could very well match, or even exceed, the performance of entry level Intel chips.. As a matter of fact, that's almost guaranteed.. But, I seriously don't think any new WOA devices would use an "outdated" SD835 SOC in future products, so we should be able to expect good performance, at the very least.
  • I disagree on the performance. SD835/6 SoC are made on 10nm. In terms of architecture ARM is already slower than Intel x86. Intel Atom-X7 is made on 14nm lithography. This means a die shrink to 10nm can increase cache size and clock speed. Intel Core m5 (14nm) is about 4 times faster than Atom x7 so this means even a next-gen ARM CPU has very little room for speed-up unless they move to 7nm which every fab have problem with right now. I just bought an iPad Pro 9.7 for work. Honestly I'm not impressed with its speed when compared to the Surface 3. 
  • Well, it definitely won't happen overnight, and nobody expects for next generation ARM chips to definitely overpower the market. but engineers goal is for ARM to have comparable performance with x86, and from what I've learned in 40 years is that humans WILL do some amazing things when they put their minds to it... Don't be so fast to doubt technological advancement... ****, some of you guys said that Windows would never run on ARM, and that it's impossible.. Times change. Keep your thinking open to new ways of doing things, ideas, and possibilities!
  • Bro, I've been watching x86 & ARM "competition" for almost 20 years. I used to be a system programmer working with firmware level stuff. ARM performance has improved, BUT that's because they started shrinking the die size to squeeze more clocks without throttling. Architecture wise, they have problems catching up with Intel x86, even on laptop class devices. Much of the speedups has also been done by slapping dedicated co-processors (GPU, DSP, camera processing, Math, AI). In terms of tasks at hand on your smartphone, that's fine, but for a general-purpose CPU on a laptop, this is a poor way of doing things) because it restricts what you can actually do. Same deal with Apple A9x and A10 ARM SoC, dedicated co-processors for specific tasks for mobile applications but general performance did not improve much if at all going from my iPad mini 2 to iPad Pro 9.7 in terms of web browsing. And that is probably due to the A9x SoC having a higher clock speed. The most noticable speedup on the iPad Pro 9.7 is the Storage speed. Let's see what happens when an SD83x ARM SoC is bolted onto a laptop-class device without the severe thermal envelop of a smartphone and without CPU throttling. I'm willing to bet it's the same with iPads.
  • And SD835 has about 2xCPU performance and 3xGPU performance compared to Atom X7.
  • We'll see when benchmarks are released for actual Arm tablets. I'm not interested in Synthetic benchmarks that say a CPU can do how many millions calculations. I'm only interested in actual performance after things like RAM, bus speed and temperature throttling for factored in.
  • Me too!  I'm hoping they blow our minds with at least one but hopefully three things.  A foldable Surface Phone, like the new Axon Multy by ZTE, then a Surface Book and Surface Book Pro. Surface Book being priced as the cheapest entry level Surface Device around $499-$599 with Windows on Arm (showing how cheap and effective these can be) and that it seems more of a complete package than the Surface Pro.  Then with the Surface Book Pro they could do the dedicated GPU and all the jazz that the Pros want.  But the Windows OEMS need to see how they can create ultra affordable, high quality devices for the masses.  The Windows 7 market share is still really high, but to get those people off of it they'd need to be compelled with value and pricing.  They need to make cheaper devices that have better than ideal specs.  This next year will be when a lot more people dump their old Windows 7 machines as we only have 2 more years left of continued support.  Businesses will also start migrated in mass next year, so to provide these cheaper devices will help those that BYOD transition better.
  • Or a Surface Mobile (ARM) ....
  • spaceopia...NO surface mobile....been said many times....sick of repeating...   I predict a surface book 2,  and a surface 3 replacement
  • He sais, ARM.
    Full win10 in MOBILE / PORTABLE form, not the winPhone.
  • You mean like the Surface Pro that they already announced?
  • lots of baby fanboy downvotes today.  I guess I hit a nerve with TRUTH!
  • see!
  • You don't have to repeat your comments you know
  • Agreed. Adams gets downvoted because he just keeps saying the same thing over, and over, and over, and...
  • Please do a Surface Phone
  • I wouldn't be expecting a Surface Phone quite yet, CShell isn't ready yet. Probably 2018, but you never know....
  • MS hasn't announced CShell publicly yet. So it's still a 50-50. And they might cancel the thing next year, because they might think of a better way of approaching the phone market. :p
    We can't hope/trust MS on phones unless they say something for themselves. Hell even after that, there's still a great chance that they'll back-off of their word.
  • They might, just don't expect an announcement for months
    .....
  • I'm actually waiting for the surface pro LTE. I think in terms of mobility it will be an interesting itteration of the current surface pro and more practical in the field. I think the LTE seems more likely to be announced than the surface book 2 or a surface on ARM, unless the pro LTE will be...ARM??!!
  • A new Studio with a 1080 would be fantastic.
  • Surface Studio with Performance Base??? Might happen!
  • Microsoft: "Sure! That'll be $7,500."
  • Still cheaper than the POS Imac Pro.
  • I personally want companies making Surface Studio like monitors with different screen sizes. I really want a monitor with Pen support and Hello.
  • Couldn't care less for the Surface Book 2. The only thing I want Panos to announce is the availability of the Surface Studio display as a separate purchase. A "Surface Monitor" or "Surface Window", without the PC built in, so that we can connect to our own desktops and use. THAT is the product I'm waiting from the Surface team and that's the only Surface product in the near future I will be willing to pay their overpriced tags for.
  • Would like to see a lay flat version of this.
  • The Surface Studio was a flop which was obvious going into a terribly niche market. That wouldn't get Microsoft anywhere but waste more time.
  • bleached the studio is NOT a flop....sorry
  • It isn't? I don't see any impact it has made and Surface sales are way down. You never hear anything about it. Sales cannot be very good. The Dial certainly hasn't caught on. How is it not a flop?
  • Surface sales were down before the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop were available. You don't know what you are talking about.
  • The Surface laptop was at least available for a couple weeks last quarter. Preorders and initial sales should have been counted, but I may be wrong.
  • I'm not entirely sure if it's a flop yet. We haven't got the fiscal results since its released.
    However I *can* see why it *could* be a flop and that's exactly the same reason I want the display sold separately: the internal hardware of the Studio, ie. the PC part, is very weak. I wouldn't waste thousands of euros on a weak computer just because of the screen. But I would be willing to pay 1000€ for the monitor alone for example. And so would probably many others. The fact that Microsoft forced the AiO idea unto what could have been an amazing 2-in-1 display is what might make the Studio flop. Nothing else.
  • I am not sure sales are really important for Surface, but it is definitely a flop in that regard. Surface is supposed to be a reference design that inspires OEMs to create their own devices. If you cannot buy a similar display or device from an OEM, I think that is definitely a flop in Surface terms.
  • You can!  XPS 27,  HP all in one touch, the Dell canvas.   So you can buy them from other OEM.   Again.  No gamers are not going to buy them.  Thats not their target.   However,  I know alot of graphics, photorgraphy and other professionals that all have surface studios and dicthed their Imac devices.
  • @Steve Adams, what happened with the Dell Canvas? Is it available? I can't find anyone selling it except Dell Direct. Is that right? Has it just not been released yet, or is Dell holding it for direct sales only? Like @DJCBS, I have no interest in the Studio as an AIO, but the Canvas seemed like a great standalone option that I could add to my existing system and use alongside my existing monitors.
  • As far as I know it's a dell direct device...in the future who knows.   Either way it rocks!  two "totems" to control things!  it's a deadly setup!
  • Do you already own a Canvas? If so, is it as amazing as it looks in the videos, or are you just basing your opinion on the videos (same as I am)?
  • I am biasing my opinions on the videos I have seen......FOR NOW.   I am seriously thinking about getting one...but at the same time...I am waiting to see if the new xps 27 will support the totems.  I know it supports dells pen....so I may go that route.  I think the xps is KILLER too!
  • A Microsoft Surface for gaming would be cool idea. That might actually be a large growth market. I am sure Microsoft could come up with something amazing. I certainly think the Studio is amazing. I would buy one if it wasn't $3000.
  • u know those touch based screen tv's exist now.  
  • You don't know what the Surface Studio does, do you?
  • Dell Canvas
  • Dell Canvas isn't the same thing. It's an enormous screen (with enormous bezels) that isn't a monitor. The beauty of the Surface Studio display is that it is a canvas AND a monitor. I don't need a canvas all of the time. So the Dell Canvas isn't an alternative.
  • A product like that has no benefit to MS as a software company. Maybe Sharp or Samsung may create a monitor like that, but I don't see MS doing anything like that.
  • By that logic neither does any hardware Microsoft produces. The Surface Studio display would be a good 2-in-1 (monitor and canvas) to push the CREATORS part in Windows 10. Because absolutely nothing in Windows 10 Creators Updates is any good if you lack quality canvas displays that can bridge the gap between standalone monitors and standalone canvas.
  • If you live in the USA you might order a Dell Canvas incl dial knob
  • Book 2 with flat hinge and at least a gtx 1060. For a super premium device no reason to go cheap on graphics.
  • I'm interested ONLY in Surface Mobile.
  • Well dont tune in during october SUPERJMN,  youre going to be greatly dissapointed.
  • Hold your breath for Surface Phone for April 2018. What I am wondering now is, are they going to talk about RS4 or a separate event will be held near this one?
  • I hope not reomw.  MS should learn to keep their mouths shut until a product is ready for delivery.   They have overpromised under delivered so much these past few years....just take a page from the apple book and shut their mouths until ANYTHING NEW IS READY!
  • No way they release a Surface Phone now. If that was the plan, they would be strengthening their platform and building an ecosystem so it would hit the ground running. Their move away from their own platforms and claim that WoA isn't for phone experiences almost guarantees they have no new phone or "ultra mobile" coming anywhere in the near future.
  • Truth bleached!  Truth!
  • waaaaaahhhhhh fan(gendernutural) truth downvotes....Guys really...your that childish that you downvote the truth...you know its the ******* truth,  there will be NO SURFACE PHONE at this event.   wahhhhhhhhh panzies.!
  • Give us a worthy Surface Book 1 trade-in prmo, and I'm game.
  • Surface 4 (or just Surface if they follow the Pro's naming convention) seems to be a no brainer now that they have WoA. To differentiate I hope they can get wireless charging and push for a wireless 'dock' solution. USB-C for futureproofing. I'm hoping for a Surface Mini at 8". At the smaller size the type cover doesn't work but it would still work great as a dock at home solution through USB-C or wireless.  
  • I want to see a new Surface Pro Mini 7" with LTE capabilities (aka Surface Pro Mobile).and an external Bluetooth adapter just to dial phone numbers and earbuds. That will really be a Decoded Future.
  • Surface Studio Pro with 8th gen processor, better graphics, more ram options. Priced lower than iMac Pro. Drop the price on the older Surface Studio to more consumer friendly levels. Surface Studio Monitor stand-alone. Surface Pro with LTE.
  • Satya is making Microsoft boring again focusing only on Azure and windows 10 desktop. While I enjoy window 10, Satya is making the same mistake Ballmer did with mobile in the past be neglecting it. Please don't use marketshare on other platforms as an excuse because they've been focused on those platforms for over 2 years now. He also promised Microsoft would build their own mobile devices if no one else would; I guess he's making sure no one else will by not supporting Acer or HP, the only two OEM's who've stuck with them through these tumultuous times while reniging on his own promise.
  • It's become obvious that nadella only measures success in dollars and cents so he doesn't mind selling the future of the company to make money now. Pretty standard stuff among CEOs these days.  Nadella better have an epic atom he'll be dropping soon if he doesn't want to go down as the worse mistake in Microsoft history. 
  • A lot of folks here want great stuff like the 1= a Surface Studio minus it's built in CPU, 2= a cheap Windows 10 on ARM Surface Pro tablet shaped  2 in 1. I would like to buy a Surface Book 2 with the removable display having better battery life with 2 USB "C" Connectors with latest 8th generation Intel i5 CPU with 8 gigs of ram and a 256 GIG fast Solid State drive. Hot Damn Microsoft get it on baby. Hmm maybe we will see the debut of the Dual screen Surface Mini Tablet running Windows 10 om ARM wow that would be amazing.
  • Well, indeed. Those are great ideas/concepts (that's actually more viable than Microsoft  thinks). I have a fear, with things like the Surface Laptop and new S. Pro that MS will become mundane/overpriced with its devices. Surface has been amped-in price (if you consider the Pen, Keyboard/form-factor cost, and proprietary Surface connect in the bill) by $300-400. Honestly, with the idea of Windows ARM/Redstone Updates the hardware, like a "simple USB-C" is critical. If MS is willing to create a perfect secondary device, which sad to say (has to beat the iPad Pros/Android), features like:
    1) Draw/Input from Secondary Display (to PC)
    2) USB-C/TB3 on-the-go connection (like file/screen sharing like on iPad or Android through cable, Samsung Dex etc.) Which yeah, the Surface lacks for the monstrous price of owning one.
  • A machine outfitted with
    Windows 10 PRO for Workstations
    featuring non-volatile Intel Optane memory
    and of course the latest generation Intel CPU. A "bootime" will be a thing of the past
    as this machine - equipped with a new memory architecture -
    will just immidiately will pick up from where you left it.  As Optane memory can also be used like DRAM
    you'll hardly run out of working memory any more. . . .  
  • Optane is still not as fast as DRAM. At most, it can act as a hibernation drive for RAM for Instant On for Windows 10 desktop OS like your mobile devices. Other than that, we have to wait for Optane to speed up further.
  • Surface Book doesn't peek my interest for now but Surface Pro LTE or a device with Windows on ARM does. I'm still curious to see if the mobile carriers will be interested in selling Surface Pro LTE at a subsidized price of course with a mobile data plan.
  • Just want a surface mobile device. Think thats too much to ask for?
  • There is one...the surface pro.  plenty mobile!
  • All this speculation about W10 on ARM or other things is just that; SPECULATION. What MS is going to announce are just refreshed Surface Pro w/Kaby Lake CPUs, and a Surface Pro w/LTE sku. That's it. Everything else you are speculating about won't be announced until the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, 26 February - 1 March 2018.
  • Incorrect... Microsoft and Qualcomm have both stated that WoA devices would begin shipping(!) in Fall 2017, so they've got to announce those devices soon.
  • Hopefully something with AMD inside comes soon...
  • Keeping my fingers crossed for a Surface Win10 on ARM to replace the aging Surface 3.
  • I think we may also see a new Surface Studio. It's about that time of the year for a refresh.
  • Book 2 and Studio 2 please.
  • I hope we see a Surface Book 2, I have been holding of for a replacment for my SP3 and havent been convinced by Laptop er newer SP's, I need a GPU. And maybe a kick-stand for the clipboard. I allsow hope for a Surface 4, a small one, 7-8" with Windows 10 S and pen support (crossing my fingers for a cradle for the pen, with charge for every Surface soon). Yeah and Microsoft, use the Surface connector for charging, and throw in Surface dock support, the lack of that pissed me off on the Surface 3. I will be sort of disapointet if one of the two is a Surface Pro LTE (and the Surface connector - USB-C dongel), that shouldnt be a headliner for a conferance. Nice if it came soon though. Still wish for a Surface phone, I hate being on Android and I want to go back to Windows 10 Mobile. 
  • Hope it's a Surface Book 2 cause it will be about fracking time. Waiting for a SB2 to upgrade from my SP2.
  • I'd be really interested in a Surface Book 2... If that is the case, I hope it will have USB-C with full support for Thunderbolt and why not eGPU... And perhaps a 32 GB RAM model too?
  • I'm hoping to see all of these new things drive down the cost of a Surface Pro 4.
  • I'd like to see them do a successor to the SURFACE 3, It's a terrific device. I love th 10.8" form factor. I hope they do launch this as an ARM device.  I think it would really round out the lineup nicely. 
  • PHONE, PHONE, PHONE is what is needed.
  • Maybe you think so, but in reality nobody needs it. Windows Phone is dead, you should already deal with it.
  • Get rid off cloud, cloud it clown Satya and bring back the Microsoft PHONE.
  • Been registered to go for ages. Looking forward to this now...
  • BUT, can it run Cysis? 
  • Awesome, hopefully they do announce an improved "new" Surface Pro with LTE and fixes to whatever people were complaining about screen bleeding. Then, need to cross my fingers that Costco picks up that improved model in time for Black Friday :)
  • Or you can just buy it from Amazon...
  • I mentioned Costco because they have an excellent extended warranty program (free of charge) and usually a great Black Friday bundle deal for the Surface.