Following the recent report about Microsoft"s plans to unveil new Surface devices on March 21, 2024, the company officially confirmed the rumors. The "New Era of Work" event is scheduled for March 21, 9 AM PDT, during which Microsoft plans to show "the latest in scaling AI in your environment with Copilot, Windows, and Surface."
In other words, expect both hardware and software announcements. On the Surface side, look out for the Surface Pro 10 with Intel and ARM chips and OLED displays. The Surface Laptop 6 will feature a reworked design with narrower display bezels, a haptic trackpad, and more USB-C ports. More importantly, it will be available with Qualcomm"s Snapdragon Elite chips.
Prices for the new Surface devices are currently unknown, but rumors say Microsoft will ship Intel-based Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 in April, while their ARM-powered counterparts will arrive in June.
Software-wise, expect to hear from Microsoft about new AI-powered experiences for Windows 11 and devices with the latest hardware and dedicated NPUs. Windows 11 is rumored to get "AI Explorer," which should use on-device processing to help you keep track of your work and quickly get the necessary information using natural language.
Those AI-powered features should arrive in the second half of 2024 as part of the now-confirmed Windows 11 "2024 Update" or version 24H2. Although some AI capabilities are now accessible to all users, you can expect some new features to work only with the newer hardware from Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD.
The event announcement comes right after Microsoft killed the Windows Subsystem for Android, one of Windows 11"s original selling points. With Microsoft no longer letting you install Android apps on its desktop operating system, all eyes are now on artificial intelligence and how it can supercharge your work.