The Microsoft Surface Book was unique in that it was the first-ever device with genuine laptop specifications that could be transformed into a tablet. There might have been a few other devices with similar concepts released earlier, but they all were more of a tablet device afforded with a keyboard. With the obvious success of the Surface Book, fans of the laptop convertible have been quick to speculate that a second-generation offering is coming.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has run out of time to be able to launch or even simply announce the existence of the Surface Book 2, which means that it will not be hitting stores anytime soon. It is safer to bet that it will come out in the latter part of next year.

According to Neurogadget, the upcoming device might not have a major design overhaul, but the important thing is it'll have a better battery, suggesting that Microsoft is totally focused on giving users more usage time, most probably around 16 hours.

There also are rumors that the reason why the release of the Surface Book 2 was pushed back is because Microsoft decided it was more practicable to promote the recently launched Surface Book i7. Obviously, it wouldn't make a lot of sense to market two devices with very similar specs as it would only confuse buyers and both will be competing with each other in terms of sales and buyer preference.

But if there is one thing that Microsoft needs to improve on for the Surface Book 2, it has to be the fulcrum hinges, which was a recipient of complaints and negative feedback for the first-generation Surface Book. And because most upcoming laptops and convertibles have already been confirmed to carry 4K resolution, it's safe to say that the next-generation Surface Book will likewise have it. Finally, Thunderbolt 3 support and the Intel Kaby Lake processors are shoo-ins for the device, barring any issues with Intel.