Microsoft's Panos Panay has shot down rumours that the company is working on a Surface Pro 5 two-in-one device, claiming that 'there's no such thing as a Pro 5' and won't be until there's 'meaningful change' to make.
While Microsoft has had entries in the hardware market in the past - primarily peripherals until the launch of the Xbox in 2001 saw the company enter the games console market - it wasn't until the launch of the Windows RT-based Surface two-in-one tablet-laptop hybrid in 2012 that it began competing directly with its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers. While Windows RT was short-lived, the Surface line lives on, but anyone holding off on a purchase for the next generation may have a while to wait, according to comments made by Surface lead Panos Panay in a recent interview.
'
When it's meaningful and the change is right, we'll put [the next generation Surface Pro] on market,' Panay told
CNET during an interview on the subject of the
Surface Laptop, the company's first non-convertible Surface device since the name was originally attached to
interactive tables. '
Meaningful change isn't necessarily a hardware change, which is what a lot of people look for. They're like, "where's the latest processor?" That's not what I mean. I'm looking for an experiential change that makes a huge difference in product line.'
Claiming that the current-generation Surface Pro 4 is a product that '
is going to be competitive for five years,' Panay added that '
you'll see that same meaningful impact when Pro 5, or Pro Next, hits the market,' before clarifying that '
there's no such thing as a Pro 5' at the current time.
Want to comment? Please log in.