Previously reported to be coming out later this year, speculation suggest that the next Surface Pro will be launched in 2017 instead. However, if the rumored specs and details for the new slate hybrid are true, the delay will not affect the Surface Pro 5 at all as observers suggest the new hybrid will be an instant hit.

According to The Country Caller, the purported specs and features of the upcoming Surface Pro 5 make it one of the top contenders among professional-level hybrid slates. Although Microsoft has yet to make the Surface Pro 5 official, fans are already expecting the slate follow-up to release in 2017 at the latest. Owing to this, observers believe that even if the debut of the Surface Pro 5 is pushed back to the early months of next year, it is still within fans' expectations.

Reportedly, one of the noted changes for the Surface Pro 5 is an overhaul and improvement in its design, as Microsoft will supposedly have a major revamp to its upcoming Surface products. For the next Surface Pro slate, expected features include the seventh-gen Intel Kaby Lake processor, the updated Windows 10 platform with Redstone patches, and better battery management. The last feature is a much-needed update for the Surface Pro tablets, since both the Surface Pro 3 and current-gen Surface Pro 4 have gotten negative feedbacks on their battery life and usage. This prompted Microsoft to release a number of hotfix and patches to remedy the issues.

Meanwhile, aside from the Surface Pro 5, another lineup that is expected to appear soon is the new Surface Book 2. However, rumors also suggest that the next Surface laptop may release early next year, as Microsoft is reportedly focusing first on an upcoming Surface Phone.