Microsoft Belatedly Documents Recent Surface Pro 4 Firmware Updates

Microsoft Belatedly Documents Recent Surface Pro 4 Firmware Updates

Last week, Surface Pro 4 received a slew of mysterious new firmware updates. Today, we learned what they were.

I always internally debate how to handle this kind of thing: I had heard about these updates from readers last week, but Microsoft didn’t provide any information about them, either on the Surface Pro 4 update history website or its Surface Blog for IT Pros. The latter source usually provides a bit more color, but it’s still silent over there. Fortunately, the Surface Pro 4 update history website has finally been updated, however.

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Update: Surface Blog for IT Pros has finally woken up and provided us with some more information. –Paul

This is what it tells us:

Surface – Biometric – 2.2.11.0. Surface Fingerprint Sensor – Biometric device 2.2.11.0 enables support for Surface Pro Type Cover and the Surface Pro Signature Type Covers.

Surface – HID – 1.0.173.1. Surface PTP Filter – HID 1.0.173.1 enables support for Surface Pro Type Cover and the Surface Pro Signature Type Covers.

Surface – HID – 1.0.2.0. Surface Pro Type Cover Integration – HID 1.0.2.0 enables support for Surface Pro Type Cover and the Surface Pro Signature Type Covers.

Surface – System – 3.0.0.0. Surface Smart Cover Backlight – System device 3.0.0.0 enables support for Surface Pro Type Cover and the Surface Pro Signature Type Covers.

According to the “value indicator” chart, these updates are purely for compatibility purposes, not security, reliability, connectivity, performance, or battery life. But based on the descriptions above, that’s pretty obvious.

 

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Conversation 3 comments

  • Spineless

    20 September, 2017 - 6:55 pm

    <p>What fingerprint sensor are they referring to? Do the new Surface Pro (post SP4) keyboards have a fingerprint sensor? I was only aware of the one-off Black SP4 Type Cover with a fingerprint sensor.</p>

    • NazmusLabs

      20 September, 2017 - 7:44 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#178348"><em>In reply to Spineless:</em></a></blockquote><p>You are correct. No surface devices have fingerprint. I believe the firmware is about the fingerprint on the type cover, which you noted that you are aware of.</p>

  • LocalPCGuy

    21 September, 2017 - 2:11 am

    <p>Microsoft's after-the-fact explanations about updates is a bit annoying. Are they checking the wording or what? I don't see why a change-log can't be provided simultaneously when an update is released.</p>

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