The next-generation Surface Pro could come with an enhanced, rechargeable pen with a magnetic dock, according to a report.
The new patent filing, spotted by Patently Mobile earlier this month, was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The patent shows that the company is cooking up two notable changes for its Surface Pen: the battery and the dock.
To date, the Surface Pen is powered by one AAAA battery, which actually is just fine since it can last for several months, and perhaps even a year. Judging from the leaked patent, however, Microsoft may be working on a rechargeable Surface Pen.
Moreover, Microsoft could also be working on a Pen charger that may look like a "dock."
"As a stylus may be easily misplaced due to the typical size and shape of the stylus (e.g., a thin, rod-like shape with at least one tapered end), the stylus charger may take the form of a dock that holds the stylus in a particular location during charging and/or while the stylus is not being used," says Microsoft.
At this point, though, it is not clear yet as to where the dock is going to be placed.
Earlier, the company hinted that Surface Pens will not be included with the tablet since the pen is thicker than the Surface Pro unit. Rumor has it, however, that the dock could be treated as an accessory.
For now, let us file this story under the rumors category. We'll be sure to keep you updated once more details become available.
The latest version of the Microsoft Surface Pro, the Surface Pro 4, was unwrapped alongside Microsoft's new laptop, the Surface Book, last year. Later that month, the two devices became available for purchase in the United States and Canada.
The Surface Pro 4 touts a 12.3-inch display. Microsoft claims it is 30 percent faster than its predecessor, thanks to the sixth-generation Intel Core M, i5 or i7 processors under its hood. The hybrid tablet runs on Windows 10. In terms of its price, interested consumers need to splurge $800 to get their hands on it.
