Surface Ergonomic Keyboard Leaks – What Now For Surface Computers In October?

On September 26 the Microsoft Surface Ergonomic Keyboard was listed at the website of the Bluetooth certification body, popping up just before October, when solely based on previous Microsoft events, it is believed that Microsoft will host a Windows 10 device event/Microsoft event for 2016 too.

When it comes to subduing leaks, Microsoft is the best tablet computer manufacturer in the industry, but sometimes you can get lucky. When it comes to leaks with substance, there are only two leaks from Microsoft so far on unannounced products.

These are the Microsoft Surface Ergonomic Keyboard and a mysterious Microsoft model number 1804 Wi-Fi part, both of which first leaked via FCC during August and September.

In the FCC documents, a Microsoft Bluetooth Keyboard with model number 1786 appeared weeks ago. The status of it then was as an engineering sample, operating at a frequenzy of 2.4 GHz. But it wasn't until it was named Surface Ergonomic Keyboard by the Bluetooth body that things became interesting, since this could indicate that the keyboard for the Surface AIO was getting ready for launch.

The next leak from FCC was the Wi-Fi radio part, with a Microsoft model number 1804, with dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz support for 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi.

Nothing to get too excited about in itself, but upon close inspection, it is manufactured by Sporton International, the same company that just manufactured the new Fire HD 8 tablet for Amazon.

There have been no other leaks on other coming Microsoft products yet, but there are some rumors. In January, Paul Thurrott said that a Surface 4 was in testing.

Then in May, sources said that a upgraded Surface Book with improved processor performance would be launched in Q3 2016. This is the last day of Q3 so we know that at least the timing was off. The same sources said that a fully new Surface Book 2 would not be launched before April 2017.

The last piece of rumor came at the end of June, when it was rumored that a Microsoft Surface AIO (All In One) computer would launch in 2016.

So naturally the leaked Surface Ergonomic Keyboard now lends a bit of credibility to the Surface AIO rumor. And then finally a few days later, a software developer who passed through the halls of the Microsoft Surface building in Redmond posted some pictures he took of small posters with 2-in-1 tablet computer silhouettes on, with the number variations 2016 and 2017 written on them, along with the words “Coming Soon”.

Microsoft have yet to announce an October event to the press, but as far as timing goes, there have been a high level of Surface sales over the last weeks, which can be taken as an indication of Microsoft clearing out certain models. If not all, then at least certain processor models, where some models of the Surface Book are now out of stock, like the 1TB model, while other Surface Book models have been cut by $150 to $250.

The Surface Pro 4 meanwhile have been reduced by over $200, now starting at under $689.

We will update as soon as we know more about any October event from Microsoft, and what we might expect then.

– Jim Miller