Software giant Microsoft is scheduled to unveil its latest tablet, the Surface Pro 4 that is seen to directly compete with market leaders 2016 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The new Microsoft Surface Pro 4 will be running on the latest Microsoft operating system Windows 10, various media reported.
Digi Times has confirmed that Microsoft has placed a large order of 256GB solid state drive (SSD) from Samsung Electronics. Microsoft is expecting the shipments of the SSDs to start arriving in September to allow the company to install the said components in the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 for its official release in October this year.
The same report said that the new Surface Pro 4 will have the same ultra-thin form factor, bezel size and large-size display like the Surface Pro 3 and run on Intel's new Skylake chipset. It added that Microsoft is targeting to shift between 500,000 and 600,000 units of the new Microsoft Pro 4 every month, compared to 200,000-250,000 units per month for the Surface Pro in the first quarter.
Industry players believe that with the release of the Microsoft Surface Pro 4, the 2016 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro will now have a serious competition. The 2016 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are also rumored to be hitting the shelves in October this year, said Inquisitr.
The MacBook Air will have 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD for its base model. But a model with a higher specs of 256GB SSD will also be available as well as a high-end one with a Core i7 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 512 SSD. The new MacBook Air is expected to sport a HD Retina screen and thinner than its predecessor.
However, some sources are speculating MacBook Air will wait until Intel releases its Core M-based Skylake and release the tablet in time for the Christmas season.
But according to Gottabemobile, waiting for the eventual release of Apple's new MacBook Pro is a much intelligent choice because it comes with a Force Touch trackpad and a faster processor. The Force Touch trackpad allows users to simply tap the screen to bring up the menu or hover over an item. The trackpad allows the user to double the laptop's capabilities.
MacBook Pro come with a Force Touch trackpad and a faster processor, making the refresh a rather minor one, but the new trackpad is something that will catch buyers' eyes. The Force Touch trackpad lets you tap to bring up a menu or hover over an item, while a hard press would select an item. Essentially, the trackpad doubles its capabilities this way.
"The entry-level 15-inch MacBook Pro now comes with a 2.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics, while the entry-level 13-inch model includes a 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory, 128GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris Graphics.
"The 2016 MacBook Pro will no doubt include yet another performance boost over the 2015 model, but that's not the main reason as to why you should wait for the next refresh. The real reason is because of the new 12-inch MacBook that was released earlier this year," Gottabemobile said.
