It’s On! Microsoft Confirms Its October Windows 10 Event

It's On! Microsoft Confirms Its October Windows 10 Event

As expected, Microsoft will hold a major press conference on October 26, 2016 in New York City. And while details are vague at this point, it’s fair to say that the rumors we’ve heard so far are almost certainly correct.

I’ve received an email invitation to the event, but its a bit vague. So here’s what I’ve heard from my sources.

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No Surface Pro 5 or Surface Book 2. As we’ve been saying for some time now, Microsoft will not refresh its flagship Surface tablets until Spring 2017. So we won’t hear anything about these devices at the October event.

No Surface phone. Microsoft is still not sure if it will even try to make a Surface phone, but in any event that device will not be launched this month.

No Band 3. We already know this, but it’s worth repeating: Microsoft Band 3 is not happening. Not this month. Not ever.

New Surface hardware. We’re still expecting Microsoft to announce new Surface hardware at this event, almost certainly various peripherals and possibly the rumored Surface All-In-One as well.

It’s a Windows event. This month’s event is about the next chapter in the Windows 10 story, and so it’s more Windows-focused than Surface-focused. We will almost certainly see some new Windows 10 devices from other PC makers, plus news about Windows 10 on PC, Xbox One and HoloLens. I’m hoping to hear more about the next version of Windows 10 as well.

It will be live streamed. So everyone can see what’s new right away.

I’m not sure yet if I can attend this event live: I’m traveling that day to Las Vegas and changing that will be messy and expensive. But if I don’t go, Brad will at least be there. That said, I’m going to try.

 

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Conversation 44 comments

  • 699

    07 October, 2016 - 10:46 am

    <p>Yay! I was beginning to worry 😉 So excited I can’t see straight. Which is reasonable since I’m gay. (lol) :o</p>

  • 670

    07 October, 2016 - 10:54 am

    <p>"It will be live streamed. So everyone can see what&rsquo;s new right away." – why bother – did you happen to notice how many more "no’s" there are than "yes’" in that litinay of featured items?</p>

    • 455

      Premium Member
      07 October, 2016 - 11:13 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19426">In reply to dstrauss:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Yeah, I’ve got to be honest, I’m about as excited for this as I was for Google’s event this week.&nbsp; Interesting, but who cares?&nbsp; Unless they’ve got a giant "one more thing" in their hardware bunker, the most newsworthy thing they could do is put the final nail in another coffin, like maybe Windows 10 Mobile this time?</p>

    • 1047

      Premium Member
      07 October, 2016 - 11:13 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19426">In reply to dstrauss:</a>&nbsp;This does have me concerned.</em></blockquote>
      <p>&nbsp;</p>

    • 622

      07 October, 2016 - 12:00 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19426">In reply to dstrauss:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Agree, just to release some accessories or talk about New Windows 10 features that wont be released until late Spring 2017? cmon on, there has to be something bigger, for a live streamed event.</p>
      <p>&nbsp;</p>
      <p>my guess..</p>
      <p>- new HW, in time, for the holidays</p>
      <p>- some big features on Windows10&nbsp;side that’ll clarify why there’ll be no new phones in near future.</p>

  • 4743

    Premium Member
    07 October, 2016 - 11:01 am

    <p>I wonder if there is a spot for a Surface 4 using a Surface Pro body and core-m Kaby Lakes.&nbsp; I guess probably not, but I’d like it!</p>

  • 2983

    Premium Member
    07 October, 2016 - 11:02 am

    <p>A whole press conference just because that’s my birthday! I never knew they cared.</p>

    • 5234

      07 October, 2016 - 12:26 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19429">In reply to RickEveleigh:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>They don’t.</p>

  • 627

    Premium Member
    07 October, 2016 - 11:02 am

    <p>No new Surface devices, but a processor bump up to Kaby Lake for the existing devices would be welcomed</p>

    • 289

      Premium Member
      07 October, 2016 - 3:00 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19430">In reply to OwenM:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>"As we&rsquo;ve been saying for some time now, Microsoft will not refresh its flagship Surface tablets until Spring 2017."</p>
      <p>I seriously doubt they’d refresh SP4 and SB1 with new chips in a few weeks, then release SP5 and SB2 in the Spring. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

      • 627

        Premium Member
        08 October, 2016 - 12:43 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#19517">In reply to Chris_Kez:</a></em></blockquote>
        <p>They have actually done minor mid cycle updates to the CPU before, albeit it quietly and for inventory reason s. I believe refresh in this context simply means they are not announcing any new version of their existing products.</p>

  • 1047

    Premium Member
    07 October, 2016 - 11:12 am

    <p>I’d like to see a small Surface upgrade Kaby Lake and USB-C. Surface Pro 4s 🙂 I wouldnt mind a tick/tock cycle with these machines.</p>

  • 5394

    07 October, 2016 - 11:23 am

    <p>A new Surface Pro or Book would be most inviting, but maybe next time. Curious to hear about the peripherals. I won’t guess, but anything less than a cam for Hello, Cortana, and Skype would be most disappointing.</p>

  • 1534

    07 October, 2016 - 11:25 am

    <p>I’m happy that Microsoft is staying with the current Surface Book for a while since mine is now running totally problem free. ;-)</p>

    • 906

      07 October, 2016 - 4:30 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19451">In reply to TraderGary:</a>&nbsp;Yeah, mine too. It even got the October updates right the FIRST try.&nbsp;</em></blockquote>
      <p>&nbsp;</p>

  • 430

    Premium Member
    07 October, 2016 - 11:30 am

    <p>This has to be the big Surface Pen Loop 2 launch…</p>

    • 5234

      07 October, 2016 - 12:32 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19457">In reply to bassoprofundo:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>I’m wearing my iPod socks.</p>

  • 326

    07 October, 2016 - 11:34 am

    <p>"No Surface phone. Microsoft is still not sure if it will even try to make a Surface phone, but in any event that device will not be launched this month."</p>
    <p>So obviously no replacement to the Lumia 950 in sight, but what about the 650 or the 550 for the next 12 months ?</p>

    • 622

      07 October, 2016 - 11:50 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19464">In reply to davidblouin:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>There wont be any more low/medium range phones from MS. Many even doubt we’ll see high end ones will get released from MS, going by the comments from paul above.</p>

      • 326

        07 October, 2016 - 4:40 pm

        In reply to VasiS:

        I was asking fellow commentors’s opinion, i don’t really care about the windowsphoneisdead.com’s owner’s opinion 😉

        • 2592

          07 October, 2016 - 8:30 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#19555">In reply to davidblouin:</a></em></blockquote>
          <p>Here’s what Mary Jo Foley (from ZDNET)&nbsp;says regarding Windows Phone:</p>
          <p>http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-schedules-its-fall-hardware-event-for-october-26/</p&gt;
          <p>"Microsoft officials recently confirmed there will be no new Band device this year, and my sources continue to say no new Microsoft phones of any kind are coming this year, either. If and when anything like a Surface Phone ends up materializing, it will likely be late 2017 or maybe even not until 2018, my contacts have said recently."</p>
          <p>Her contacts within MS are for the most part spot on.</p>
          <p>&nbsp;</p>

          • 326

            09 October, 2016 - 1:27 pm

            <blockquote><em><a href="#19604">In reply to shameermulji:</a></em></blockquote>
            <p>I was asking fellow commentors’s opinion, i don’t really care about the windowsphoneisdead.com’s owner’s lady-friend’s&nbsp;opinion ;)</p>

  • 217

    07 October, 2016 - 12:10 pm

    <p>I understand the AU wasn’t the smoothest, but I’m still loving Windows 10 and couldn’t be happier being a Mac defector of the last 8 years! Just built a custom rig and thus far it’s been the best computer experience to date, no issues here.</p>

  • 5781

    07 October, 2016 - 12:10 pm

    <p>I hope they will show us new things. No Surface Pro/book, band, phone….. Probably the new Surface All-In-One. But not cloud…cloud….cloud…. I know that is not the purpose&nbsp;of the event for cloud but I am tired&nbsp;hearing only this from Satya. I hope we will see delightful new things!!!&nbsp;</p>

  • 2627

    07 October, 2016 - 12:13 pm

    <p>It won’t be Christmas, but I hope it will be Easter.</p>

  • 5234

    07 October, 2016 - 12:32 pm

    <p>Unless Microsoft is announcing that Windows is going open-source, or that that the company is being bought up, I can only see this as a boring PR strategy to take away from all of the bad press that’s been circling Windows since the Anniversary Update debacle(s). &nbsp;Even John C. Dvorak (ITM, Gitmo slaves!) got words in about this:</p>
    <p><a href="http://www.pcmag.com/commentary/348459/the-massive-windows-10-update-failure">http://www.pcmag.com/commentary/348459/the-massive-windows-10-update-failure</a></p&gt;

  • 2611

    Premium Member
    07 October, 2016 - 12:41 pm

    <p>Semi-annual media playing app/service rebrand? Windows Media Player &gt; Zune &gt; Xbox Music &gt; Groove &gt; One Tune?</p>

  • 3272

    Premium Member
    07 October, 2016 - 12:47 pm

    <p>"No Surface phone. Microsoft is still not sure if it will even try to make a Surface phone, but in any event that device will not be launched this month"</p>
    <p>That is a perfect example of the problem. They have no clue what to do, what they want to do or what they should do. When the hell do they think a good time would be to decide if they are going to release this or not? Will they decide next year? Maybe in 2018? And then if they finally decide to release it, once again it will be years too late to matter to anyone. Just release the damn thing ir drop Win 10 mobile completely. So tired of this half assed crap from them.</p>

  • 488

    07 October, 2016 - 1:01 pm

    <p>Great, how or where can we go to watch the stream?</p>

  • 5485

    07 October, 2016 - 1:48 pm

    <p>I dont get how people still gets excited about this stuff. These guys are always in the airwaves. Its the update, its ignite, than enterprize whatever, than its whatever whatever, than its the game show …. me me me me me me me me me me me …</p>
    <p>There is nothing like this in the industry. Never was. Still MS fanboys say eveeyone else are the ones that are good with Marketing so on and so forth. Geezzz&nbsp;</p>

  • 4563

    07 October, 2016 - 3:24 pm

    <p>I am expecting an Echo or Google Home like device.&nbsp; I think it is the right time to launch it.</p>

    • 622

      07 October, 2016 - 11:26 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19521">In reply to kitron:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>I dont think Cortana can compete with Google Home / Echo in its current form. But, they would be on to something if they can atleast tie all the devices&nbsp;(PC, Xbox, phone) together.</p>

  • 5539

    07 October, 2016 - 4:14 pm

    <p>At least one web camera that adds hello to any Win 10 PC would be nice. A keyboard or mouse that sported a Hello compatible fingerprint reader would be nice. An Echo or Home like device that had a short base with a lucite column extending above it that displayed a ‘holographic’ Cortana, when you said, ‘Hey Cortana’, would be great ;)</p>

    • 6242

      Premium Member
      07 October, 2016 - 4:26 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#19542">In reply to SvenJ:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>It appears that Paul has make a mistake on his intel. Microsoft is indeed unvieling a new Surface Book. I been told directly from a contact within MS that there is indeed new books coming with this event. Now I am very interested to see how this shakes out. MS has a very solid vision of where they are going and how they are doing it. To their credit they are not following the competition but blazing their own path and not introducing products simply in reaction to their competitors. Paul is also wrong on his assessment of a Surface Phone – simply put iOS, nor Android, are the right Mobile OS to handle both Business and Consumer needs. Microsoft is going to deliver the right goods with the ecco system to support it and they are only interested in the long game.</p>

      • 2592

        07 October, 2016 - 8:28 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#19548">In reply to VancouverNinja:</a></em></blockquote>
        <p>When it comes to MS rumors &amp; having contacts within MS, Mary Jo is who I trust the most (no offense Paul): here’s what she says regarding Windows Phone:</p>
        <p>http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-schedules-its-fall-hardware-event-for-october-26/</p&gt;
        <p>"Microsoft officials recently confirmed there will be no new Band device this year, and my sources continue to say no new Microsoft phones of any kind are coming this year, either. If and when anything like a Surface Phone ends up materializing, it will likely be late 2017 or maybe even not until 2018, my contacts have said recently."</p>
        <p>Like it or not, WP is on life support. Introducing a Surface Phone in late 2017 or in 2018 is late, maybe too late.</p>

  • 639

    Premium Member
    07 October, 2016 - 5:00 pm

    <p>If they announce an AIO, I will be torn between that and a Surface 2-in-1.&nbsp; I need a tablet to replace my Surface 2 but I would love to have a Surface desktop.</p>
    <p>Any word about the XBox media device Brad mentioned?&nbsp; I feel I&nbsp;compelled to keep asking about it.</p>

  • 2592

    07 October, 2016 - 8:36 pm

    <p>The Verge is pretty adamant there will be a Surface AIO announced at the event:</p>
    <p>http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/7/13207612/microsoft-paint-windows-10-app</p&gt;
    <p>"Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that any potential AIO PC will be aimed at creatives. Microsoft is said to be working on software and hardware that will enhance the use of stylus, touch, and traditional inputs on a full desktop PC."</p>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>

  • 5641

    08 October, 2016 - 2:38 am

    So what could be shown that would align with Microsoft’s current apparent strategy of Business only (consumer is left to OEMs). Frankly – an all-in-one device isn’t really going to set the business world alight. It may be something to target creatives – so maybe a super-large easel type device for artists to draw on – looks like a screen but you could pull it forward to act like some sort of canvas . and surface pen works on it.
    I agree that there is not going to be any phone, band, PC, XBox i.e. consumer announcement. I think it’s pretty clear Microsoft has left that market to it’s partners in terms of hardware. They may bring out a Surface Phone in the future, but like the Surface Pro, targetted to Enterprise – not consumer. I still think there is a market for a low cost continuum phone for non-technical consumers where they can drop the phone into a cradle and continue to work on a screen, then pick the phone up and take it with you. Most of these users will use mail, contacts, Edge, photos, maybe facebook etc and this model, where a person could drop their phone into someone else’s cradle to show photos (for example) would be very useful. As this model of compute is faily new – marketing would need to tell people what they should be doing (like the early iPod adverts of why it’s useful to have 1000 songs in your pocket).
     
    P.S. Edit function on this site is not stellar. Seems to forget about paragraphs!

  • 6290

    08 October, 2016 - 7:33 am

    <p>All the clues are in the rumors. Here’s what I think:</p>
    <p><strong>All-in-one.</strong> It doesn’t make sense – it would be too expensive with a very narrow consumer target (today). What would make more sense is:</p>
    <p><strong>Surface monitor/hub.</strong> The tech behind the Surface screen combined with different connectivity options for easy connection of&nbsp;any Windows10 device (Surface, desktop, laptop, mobile,..). Maybe with dedicated (even modular) graphics card.</p>
    <p><strong>Modular PC.</strong> It also makes more sense that they would release a modular pc that is not "hardwired" to a screen. Similar to http://www.razerzone.com/christine (but&nbsp;I haven’t seen any rumors anywhere about that)</p>
    <p><strong>Cortana home assistant.</strong> A portable Windows10 device with focus on ai assistance. Like all the other competitors already have. Could of course be connected to the above mentioned surface monitor for a more complete desktop experince.</p>
    <p><strong>Surface phone.</strong> I just hope they ditch the whole "phone" thing and focus more on a "mobile" Windows10 device. Basically marketed as a smaller Surface&nbsp;and not a phone -&nbsp;to approach it from another angle.&nbsp; It would probably still be seen as a "phone" by the huge mass thou…</p>

  • 1885

    08 October, 2016 - 6:15 pm

    <p>Can they fork Android and make a Windows 10 UI already?They are trying to reinvent the wheel. What happened to the partnership with cyanogenmod? &nbsp;Make the damn Surface Phone using a heavily modified Android version…figure out how to still support Continuum. &nbsp;People get superior hardware, &nbsp;tightly integrated Windows apps, &nbsp;and the huge existing Market of Android apps. &nbsp;Microsoft gets a presence in mobile.&nbsp;</p>

  • 206

    08 October, 2016 - 9:12 pm

    <p>Meh…watch the live stream like the rest of us Paul. &nbsp;Paul Jr. will be there.</p>

  • 1292

    11 October, 2016 - 12:47 pm

    <p>Any Xbox Scorpio&nbsp;info&nbsp;at this Paul?</p>

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