Microsoft's big event is just a few hours away and you can watch the live stream to see Surface Pro 4 and new Lumias debut.
The company's upcoming Windows 10 event will focus on unveiling new hardware, with the top-notch Surface Pro 4 tablet and the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL flagship smartphones as the stars of the show. Additionally, the company may also unveil a new wearable gadget, announce some peripherals such as the Microsoft Display Dock, and offer more details regarding its HoloLens augmented reality headset at the event.
Where to Watch the Live Stream
Because not everyone can actually make it to big launch events, i.e. attend physically and see the presentation on stage, companies have been offering fans a way to watch their events even if they can't be physically present. All big companies live-stream their major launch events so fans can watch the presentation online, and Microsoft is no different.
Microsoft will be live-streaming its new Windows 10 hardware event starting at 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT on Tuesday, Oct. 6, so all interested fans can watch the announcements online or on the Xbox.
What to Expect
The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 should sport notable upgrades over its predecessor, and the Surface Pro 3 is already quite a powerful device. With its Surface Pro line, Microsoft doesn't just want to offer high-end tablets, it wants to offer powerful machines that can easily handle any task and replace the laptop altogether.
The new Surface Pro 4 will face tougher competition than its predecessor, with new rivals such as Apple's iPad Pro and Google's newly-unveiled Pixel C, but many expect it to smoke its rivals with no hassle.
The new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, meanwhile, will launch as the company's first flagship smartphones for 2015, as the company has so far focused on affordable handsets. The two new Lumias will run the latest Windows 10 out of the box and sport high-end specs and features all around, including an Iris scanner for extra security.
Microsoft wants to unveil its latest and greatest hardware at a single event because it wants to demonstrate how its "One Windows to Rule Them All" strategy is better than having separate Windows versions for each device category. So far, Microsoft offered a full-fledged Windows for PCs and tablets, a Windows RT for its Surface tablets, and Windows Phone for its smartphones.
Now, the company wants to bank on One Windows that can run on all hardware. The versions of Windows will still be different, but they will have a common Windows Store, a common software at their core, more development tools, more shared UI elements and universal apps that work across different types of hardware.
Microsoft is also gearing up to unleash Threshold 2 on Surface tablets and PCs, as well as Lumia phones. Threshold 2 is an updated version of Windows 10 that should become available sometime in early November, based on the latest reports. This updated version should bring a number of Windows 10 elements that weren't ready when the OS became available in late July, including neat features such as a Windows store for business users, support for enterprise data protection, the latest Skype messaging and video apps, and more.
Microsoft could also offer more details regarding the Windows Store and Cortana integration for Xbox One, but this feature is not expected until 2016. The company should also offer more details on a number of other aspects, and it will all become official in just a few short hours.
