Microsoft sends out invites for 6 October event; expect new Lumia phones, Surface Pro 4

Microsoft has started sending invites to its next hardware event slated to take place on October 6 wherein the company is expected to launch new phones, Surface Pro 4 and maybe a new band too.

At this special Windows 10 devices launch, the company is expected to launch two handsets reportedly Lumia 950 and Lumia 950XL. It will be accompanied by the Surface Pro 4, which is the most awaited successor to the Surface Pro 3. Besides, some are also speculating the possibility of a new band at the event.

While the event is early next month, but most of the hardware could hit store shelves only during the holiday season. “I doubt any of the new Microsoft hardware will be available on October 6. I’ve heard from some contacts that the Surface Pro 4 tablets are likely to ship some time in November, still in time for the holiday season. I’d expect the Lumia phones and Bands also to be out in time for holiday,” a ZDnet report points out.

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While we do not know much about its devices, the Surface Pro 4 is speculated to come with some improvements. One can expect a larger display, Windows Hello support, a refined keyboard and a fingerprint scanner could make it to the list of improvements. A report by TheVerge also suggests the possibility of a 14-inch Surface device and also an additional Surface device.

Going by the previous reports, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL are been codenamed **Talkman and Cityman** , respectively.The Lumia 950 or Talkman will reportedly sport a 5.2-inch display with 2560 x 1440 pixels of resolution. Under the hood, one can expect a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor coupled with 3GB RAM, 20-megapixel rear snapper, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 32GB storage and a 3,000mAh battery.

The larger, 950 XL or Cityman, will come with a 5.7-inch display, and almost a similar set of specs. Apart from the larger display, some other differentiating specs will be an octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor and a 3,300mAh battery. Both smartphones will support Qi wireless charging and also an infrared scanner that will unlock the device in seconds. Though ZTE has already introduced he iris scanner, it is still not a commonly found feature and could turn out to become a USP of the device. Both will also feature USB Type-C and come dipped in Matte white or black polycarbonate. On the other hand, the new band which is said to be a successor to the existing Microsoft band is a complete mystery.