On Oct. 6, 2015, Microsoft held a conference unveiling new Lumia phones, new Surface tablets, as well as a digital fitness tracker and Xbox integration with Windows 10. The conference was a welcome dissection of Microsoft’s goals for the foreseeable future, and succeeded at showcasing the forward-direction ushered in by Windows 10.
Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL
Amid the excitement of the conference, an important factor of Microsoft’s new direction was on display: Microsoft now cares about hardware as much as software. The two mobile phones announced at the event—the Lumia 950 and the Lumia 950 XL—not only feature Microsoft’s Windows 10 Mobile operating system, but are also designed and manufactured by Microsoft Mobile, a division of the tech giant.
The Lumia 950 and 950 XL feature all of the specs that one would expect from a modern, 2015 flagship device. The smaller 950 boasts a 5.2-inch WQHD OLED display, three gigabytes of RAM, and a hexacore Snapdragon 808 processor. The larger 950 XL is equipped with a 5.7-inch WQHD AMOLED display, three gigabytes of RAM, and a Snapdragon 810 processor.
Both phones proudly feature a 20-megapixel PureView camera on the rear, as well as a five-megapixel front-facing “selfie” camera. Additionally, both phones are charged and connected through USB-C.
Perhaps the phones’ most interesting spec is their strangest: both phones are cooled with liquid cooling technology.
Continuum and the Display Dock
When Microsoft unveiled Windows 10 on Oct. 1, 2014, presenters proudly boasted the operating system’s Continuum feature. The idea was simple: through the incorporation of universal Windows 10 apps, users would be able to perform the same tasks on a phone, desktop, and tablet. Microsoft put cash to jowl on Oct. 6, showing off the Display Dock: an adaptor that connects Lumia phones to monitors, mice, and keyboards, allowing users to operate their phones like a desktop. The Display Dock connects to Lumia devices via USB-C, but the dock itself contains multiple ports including ports for DisplayPort, HDMI, and two USB ports.
Surface Pro 4
Microsoft’s Surface Pro line of tablet are full-fledged laptops that run a complete version of the Windows operating system, with a few caveats. First of all, Surface Pro devices don’t feature a physical keyboard—other than the one provided through a magnetic cover. Second of all, the tablets feature full touch-integration, meaning that users don’t need to use a mouse. The devices have been well-received by critics and consumers alike, and Microsoft unveiled the latest iteration of the Surface Pro at the Lumia event. This year’s device —the Surface Pro 4—features a 12.3-inch display, a sixth-generation Intel processor, and storage and memory combinations that are typically found on proper laptops.
According to Microsoft, this year’s Surface is supposed to be 50 per cent faster Apple’s MacBook Air.
Surface Book
Microsoft is a software company. At least, that’s been their operating statement for almost 40 years. Microsoft builds software—efficient, charming, often infuriating software. However, a few years ago, Microsoft decided to rebrand and focus on hardware. Their first few attempts were sluggish at best.
However, with the announcements of Lumia phones built and manufactured by Microsoft, as well as a viable tablet option for those looking to replace their laptops, Microsoft’s hardware goals seem to be coming to fruition.
On Oct. 6, 2015, perhaps for the first time in history, Microsoft unveiled a laptop device designed and manufactured by Microsoft. That device is the Surface Book, a laptop with a 13.5-inch display that runs Windows 10. The device features a full-size keyboard, a glass touchpad, sixth-gen Intel processors, and SSD’s instead of hard disks.
There is, however, one important caveat: the Surface Book is not technically a laptop. Instead, it is a tablet that clicks into a physical keyboard. However, unlike a keyboard cover, or even some of the more gaudy tablet keyboard options available on the market, the Surface Book perfectly resembles a laptop. If users never want to use the device as a tablet, that option is entirely available to them.
The Surface Book makes perfect sense as the logical extension of Microsoft’s goal to eliminate the laptop.
Microsoft Band
As if the company’s hardware goals weren’t perfectly encapsulated in their laptop, Microsoft also unveiled the second generation of their fitness-tracker-cum-smartwatch. The device operates like a typical smartwatch, featuring voice recognition, the ability to access smartwatch apps, and the ability to deal with messages.