NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp.
on Tuesday unveiled new Surface, Lumia and Microsoft Band devices,
taking advantage of powerful and versatile hardware to unlock new
Windows 10 experiences, including fast and secured login with
Windows Hello1; new Cortana2 experiences that
turn Windows 10 devices into a personal assistant; improved touch
and pen experiences on Surface; and Continuum for phones, which
enables the new Lumia 950 and 950 XL phones to work like
PCs3. Showcasing the innovation possible with Windows
10, Microsoft also shared new gaming experiences from Xbox and new
details on Microsoft HoloLens, the first fully untethered
holographic computer.
Now running on 110 million devices around the world, Windows 10
is off to the fastest start in history — seeing upgrades at three
times the rate of Windows 7 in the same time period. With more than
1.25 billion visits to the Windows Store, Microsoft announced
all-new universal apps for Windows 10, including Box, Facebook,
Instagram, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Flipagram, Uber, and others.
These apps add to the existing Windows 10 experiences that will be
available on the new Microsoft devices.
"With Windows 10 and these new Microsoft devices, you are at the
center of magical new experiences," said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of
Microsoft. "We're moving people from needing to choosing to loving
Windows, and these devices promise to fuel even more enthusiasm and
opportunity for the entire Windows ecosystem."
Surface redefines the laptop
Building on its track record of pioneering new categories,
Microsoft is redefining the laptop with the new Surface Book — a
powerful, high-performance laptop with stunning craftsmanship and
incredibly accurate and responsive pen and touch support.
Ultrathin, Surface Book combines the impressive power of 6th
Generation Intel® Core™ i5 and
Core™ i7 processors with up to 12 hours of battery
life4. The 13.5-inch optically bonded PixelSense Display
delivers a high-contrast 267 dpi display with improved latency and
parallax, making it not just beautiful to look at but natural and
fluid to write on. The screen also detaches, so it can be used like
a clipboard to sketch, take notes and benefit from Windows programs
like Microsoft Edge. An optional discrete GPU allows Surface Book
to harness the full power of hardware-accelerated graphics for
seamless video editing, fast rendering or immersive gaming. Surface
Book starts at $1,4995.
The tablet that can replace your laptop just got thinner,
lighter, faster
Microsoft also introduced Surface Pro 4, the thinnest, lightest
and most powerful tablet that can replace your laptop. At only 8.4
mm thin, it features a stunning 12.3-inch PixelSense Display and
6th Generation Intel® Core™ m,
Core™ i5, and Core™ i7 processors, enabling
everyone from students to professionals to get more done on the go.
Starting at $8995, Surface Pro 4 is
not only 30 percent more powerful than Surface Pro 3 but also
quieter, runs cooler, and is even more efficient with up to nine
hours of battery life4. The new Surface Pro 4 Type
Cover6 takes Surface Pro 4 from tablet to laptop in an
instant and features a redesigned mechanical keyboard with optimal
key spacing for fast and fluid typing. Backwards compatible with
Surface Pro 3, the new Surface Pro 4 Type Cover comes with an
optional fingerprint reader, bringing the convenience and
enterprise-grade security of Windows Hello to existing customers.
The redesigned Surface Pen packs 1,024 levels of pressure
sensitivity, letting you write, draw and mark documents with
precision ink on one end and an eraser on the other.
Surface Book, Surface Pro 4 and new accessories are available
for preorder in select markets Oct.
7, then for purchase in Canada and the
United States on Oct. 26, with
additional markets to follow. Full device and accessory specs are
available here, here and here.
Lumia phones showcase the power of Windows 10
The company also reinforced its commitment to mobile with the
introduction of Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, the first Windows 10
Lumia phones and newest premium phones from Microsoft. With more
people using multiple devices throughout their day, Windows 10
provides a familiar and consistent experience that enables a
seamless and productive transition from one device to another,
whether PCs, tablets or the new phones. With Continuum capability
for phones enhanced by the new Microsoft Display Dock accessory,
connect the phone to a monitor and transform it for larger-screen
entertainment, or add a keyboard and mouse to work like a PC with
Windows 10 apps like Microsoft Office, while simultaneously taking
calls or performing other tasks6. With the
latest-generation PureView cameras with 20-megapixel sensors,
triple LED natural flash and 4K video capture, the Lumia 950 and
Lumia 950 XL enable faster focus and crisper images and videos even
in challenging conditions. Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL will become
available in select markets in November; local retailers or
operators can give pricing and availability. Full device specs are
available here and here.
Lumia 550, Microsoft's most affordable 4G LTE smartphone running
Windows 10, also joins the Lumia family7. For people who
value affordability, uncompromised quality and signature Microsoft
services, Lumia 550 combines superfast Internet, the latest
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ quad-core processor
with ultrafast LTE speeds, and the best of Microsoft services for
just $1395. Lumia 550 will
begin rolling out in select European markets in December, with
additional markets to follow. Full device specs are available
here.
Achieve your fitness goals with Microsoft Band 2
Microsoft also announced Microsoft Band 2, the latest fitness
wearable designed to help you live healthier and achieve more. The
new Microsoft Band features a new curved display, making it even
more comfortable to wear, and Cortana8 enables you to
reply to texts or set reminders with the touch of a button.
Alongside a continuous optical heart rate monitor and onboard GPS,
the smart band still tracks calories burned, deep exercise and
sleep quality — and now records floors climbed — all while
maintaining up to two-day battery life. Microsoft Health is
available as a universal Windows app, a dedicated app for iOS and
Android devices, and via a Web Dashboard, all enabling people to
set wellness goals and receive actionable insights. Starting at
$2495, Microsoft Band 2 is
available for preorder in select markets Oct. 6, then for purchase in the United States on Oct. 30, with additional markets to follow. Full
device specs are available here.
Microsoft HoloLens arrives for developers
Microsoft HoloLens is the world's first fully untethered
holographic computer, powered by Windows 10. Whether for education,
design, healthcare or entertainment, HoloLens creates innovative
experiences that are impossible on any other device — or any other
platform. Starting today, we are inviting applications for the
Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition and will start shipping in
Q1 2016 for $3,000. Developers can
visit http://hololens.com to apply for the Microsoft HoloLens
Development Edition.
Xbox brings new gaming experiences
Powered by Windows 10, the new Xbox One experience will launch
around the world in November. This free update is a complete
redesign built on the cornerstone of Windows 10 and provides the
fastest and most social Xbox experience ever. Also launching in
November, Xbox One Backward Compatibility9 lets you play
your Xbox 360 games on Xbox One for free with 100 games at launch
and hundreds more in the months ahead. Backward-compatible Xbox 360
games will also be playable on Windows 10 through game streaming
from Xbox One to Windows 1010. Games like "Halo 5:
Guardians, Rise of the Tomb Raider," "Forza Motorsport 6," and
"Gears of War: Ultimate Edition" cement this holiday as the
greatest lineup in Xbox history. What's more, Microsoft is offering
gamers unmatched value and choice this holiday with its most
extensive bundle lineup ever, starting at $3495. Whether it's the Xbox One
"Halo 5: Guardians" Limited Edition Bundle, the Xbox One 1TB
"Fallout 4" Bundle that includes both the critically acclaimed
"Fallout 4" and a full-game download of "Fallout 3" for Xbox
360, the Xbox One Elite Bundle, or the Xbox One 1TB Holiday Bundle,
there's a console for every gamer. Full details on Xbox One and the
new Xbox One experience can be found here.
In the United States, Surface
Book, Surface Pro 4, Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL, Microsoft Band 2 and
Xbox One will be available through microsoftstore.com, more than
110 Microsoft stores, authorized resellers and select partner
retailers. More information on Windows 10 and Microsoft devices can
be found at http://blogs.windows.com/launch.
Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) is the leading platform and
productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and
its mission is to empower every person and every organization on
the planet to achieve more.
1 Windows Hello requires specialized biometric
hardware.
2 Cortana available in select markets at launch;
experience may vary by region and device.
3 Requires Microsoft Display Dock, external monitor
with HDMI input, and compatible accessories, all sold separately.
Microsoft Office 365 subscription required for some Microsoft
Office features.
4 For video playback; testing conducted by Microsoft in
September 2015 using preproduction
Intel Core™ i5, 256GB, 8GB RAM device. Testing consisted of full
battery discharge during video playback. All settings were default
except Wi-Fi was associated with a network and Auto-Brightness
disabled. Battery life varies significantly with settings, usage
and other factors.
5 Estimated retail price. Actual prices may vary.
6 Sold separately
7 Coverage, service and 4G/LTE are not available
everywhere. See carrier for coverage details.
8 Cortana available with Windows Phone 8.1 or later;
available in English only.
9 Xbox One Backward Compatibility feature works with
select Xbox 360 games; see
http://www.xbox.com/xbox-one/backward-compatibility. Xbox 360
accessories and Kinect, and games requiring those accessories, are
not compatible with Xbox One consoles. Xbox Live and broadband
Internet required for initial download of game to console.
10 Stream to one device at a time; streaming with
multiplayer from Xbox One requires home network connection and Xbox
Live Gold membership (sold separately).
Some information relates to pre-release products, which may be
substantially modified before availability.
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SOURCE Microsoft Corp.