Microsoft Sends Out Invites to Oct 6 Event for New Surface Pro, Lumias

As expected, Microsoft (MSFT) has begun sending out media invitations to an October 6 event in New York, where it will unwrap a range of devices running Windows 10, including an updated Surface Pro and two new Lumia smartphones, according to reports.

Microsoft also is expected to rollout an updated version of its fitness Band. The vendor isn’t divulging exactly what it will showcase at the event other than hinting it’s Windows 10 hardware related. The bash will be held at the held at Skylight at Moynihan Station starting at 10 a.m.

Less than a month ago, reports surfaced that the stars of the event will be the Surface Pro 4 and the two Lumia smartphones, with the latter rumored for months to be a Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL. The updated Band isn’t expected to run a variant of Windows 10 but instead will be firmware-based, reports said.

Since the Lumia handsets and Surface Pro upgrade will be the first mobile devices Microsoft has introduced fitted to Windows 10 mobile, how the vendor positions the units will be of keen interest to enterprise mobility-focused channel partners.

According to reports, the Surface Pro 4 will not mark a significant departure from the Surface Pro 3, with Microsoft already confirming it hasn’t fiddled with the form factor, in a nod to business customers who’ve already bought docking stations and other accessories.

However, some recent chatter has suggested the vendor may roll out a 14-inch version of the Surface tablet.

There’s always the possibility the vendor, of course, that Microsoft will slim down the Surface Pro 4 in thickness and weight and alter the size of the display and its resolution. A fingerprint scanner housed on an upgraded keyboard also seems likely, according to reports.

As for the fitness Band 2, it will be interesting to see how far Microsoft has taken it with new features and usability.

The new hardware is expected to be available in time for holiday shopping.