Microsoft started issuing invitations for a “special event” on Thursday where it may introduce some new hardware and software, including upgrades to its Surface laptops and additional AI products. The event is scheduled to be held in New York City on Sept. 21, Microsoft announced in its email and will be the first held since the company issued layoffs earlier this year.
Rumours are revolving around what new products Microsoft might roll out, but some expectations include the Surface Go 4, Surface Laptop Studio 2, and Surface Laptop Go 3, which could be unveiled at the surprise event. Microsoft reportedly plans to roll out these products in the fall, introducing new technology with the original design.
The Surface Laptop Studio 2 will reportedly have an upgraded touchpad, more granular levels of haptic feedback, and a brighter screen display, but will remain the same size, WindowsCentral reported. The other products will have upgraded Intel processors and will be more powerful and efficient than previous models.
The event is also expected to play host to Microsoft’s new AI capabilities that will be implemented in Windows 11. Microsoft is working alongside OpenAI to bring the technology to its products and has reportedly invested $13 billion in the AI company.
In January, Microsoft also announced it would be changing its hardware portfolio to remove Microsoft mice, keyboards, and webcams. “We will continue to invest in strategic areas for our future, meaning we are allocating both our capital and talent to areas of secular growth and long-term competitiveness for the company, while divesting in other areas,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a January blog post.
Microsoft said on its website that it is working “as part of the global research community to advance AI with the aim to: enhance our understanding of artificial general intelligence, create new model architectures with novel emergent abilities, achieve societal benefit through the advancement of AI, transform scientific discovery, and extend human capabilities.”