Instead of Aug. 1, 2015, Microsoft's 84-inch Surface Hub interactive whiteboard for businesses will start shipping on Jan. 1, 2016.
Microsoft Surface Product Manager Brad Hall announced the change of plans in a blog post, saying the Redmond-based software and devices company wants to tweak its production process to keep up with the unexpectedly "strong demand" for the Surface Hub, for which Microsoft began accepting preorders on Aug. 1.
"Based on the early interest we see, we're tuning our manufacturing process to prepare for production at broader scale," Hall says. "To do this, we are adjusting our product rollout schedule to ensure we deliver a great customer experience and set our partners up for success."
Hall adds that Microsoft will share additional shipment details and updates about the manufacturing process in August, while continuing to receive preorders. Microsoft is also expanding its sales channels for its line of Surface products to a "few thousand" global partners, which should be a good sign for a company that is trying to catch up in the mobile industry.
The Surface Hub is the latest device in this line. It is a niche product that Microsoft hopes will attract enterprise customers who will also likely use Microsoft's productivity apps and other software products embedded into the device. The Surface Hub comes in two variants. The bigger, 84-inch Hub runs on Intel Core i7 and sports a 4K display where enterprise users can collaborate in the workplace using apps such as Skype for Business and PowerPoint, which, of course, will come preloaded into the device. The 84-inch Surface Hub will cost businesses $20,000 a piece to acquire.
If that is too expensive for smaller teams, there is also the 55-inch Surface Hub, which is far more affordable at $7,000. The smaller Hub is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor and features a full HD display.
Naturally, both Hubs will run on Windows 10, Microsoft's latest and greatest OS. Each device supports multi-touch and digital ink and will be able to run various apps for Windows 10 from the Windows Store, including OneNote and all Microsoft Office apps. They are also outfitted with special sensors that can track movements for a better videoconferencing experience. The devices will also include two digital pens and a separate wireless keyboard for input.
