Microsoft has made a firm push into the consumer hardware business, unveiling at a dedicated devices event on Wednesday morning a trio of new phones, a new surface tablet, and the first laptop the company has ever built.
The Lumia 950 and 950 XL are the first smartphones to run Windows 10, with Microsoft committing to the promise of letting people use the same software across its phones, tablets, PCs and video game console.
The powerful phones feature 5.2-inch and 5.7-inch Quad-HD AMOLED displays, and are powered by Snapdragon hexa-core and octa-core processors respectively. Otherwise they are largely the same device, with a 20 megapixel main camera, USB-C port, 32GB storage, and a micro-SD slot for expansion.
The use of USB C allows for the phones' signature feature, known as Continuum. With an optional accessory called the Microsoft Display Dock, users can connect their phone to a monitor, keyboard and mouse and use it like a Windows 10 PC, all while the phone charges.
Full Australian launch details are yet to come for the two flagship phones, but Microsoft said they would be hitting our shores before Christmas. The company also announced the budget Lumia 550, which also runs a version of Windows 10 and features a 4.7-inch screen.
Surface Book
The laptop, named Surface Book, is a sleek, high-spec machine that clearly caught a lot of people by surprise, beginning to trend on social media almost instantly as it was unveiled.
The machine boasts a full-sized keyboard, a glass-laminated precision trackpad and a 13.5-inch screen with a resolution of 3000x2000 and 10-point multitouch functionality. It's powered by a sixth generation Intel i5 or i7 processor, 8GB or 16GB of RAM, and a dedicated 1GB graphics card, features a solid state hard drive, and comes with Windows 10 Pro.
In introducing the device, Microsoft devices executive Panos Panay claimed it was twice as fast as the MacBook Pro. To top it all off, a video revealed that the laptop's screen can detach from the keyboard (much like Google's new Pixel C), allowing the device to function as a Surface Tablet. The Surface Book even comes with a redesigned Surface Pen stylus.
The high-end device comes at a high-end price, starting at $2299 when it launches in Australia on November 12.
Microsoft also introduced the Surface Pro 4 tablet, which features some similar specifications to the laptop (although cutting back on things like storage space and dedicated graphics) but has a smaller screen and weighs only 786 grams. The lowest-priced version of the tablet, which packs an Intel Core m processor instead of an i5 or i7, will be $1349 in Australia, and also launches on November 12. A new Surface Type Cover, available separately, features redesigned keys and a fingerprint scanner.
Fitness tracker
At the top of the event Microsoft briefly detailed a new fitness tracker, called the Microsoft Band 2. Featuring a curved display, the band is capable of replying to texts or setting reminders on your phone with the touch of a button.
The device packs a GPS sensor and heart rate monitor. Like the original band can track your activity and sleep, and it adds the ability to track your altitude. The data is all crunched and stored by the Windows Health app, available across Windows, Android and iOS. Australian launch details are yet to be announced.
Gaming and AR
Rounding out its announcements, Microsoft talked gaming by giving a glimpse at the free update coming to the Xbox One in November, which brings a version of Windows 10 to the game console and loungeroom-centric media box. The company also showed off a new game for its augmented reality headset HoloLens, and said a developer version of the device would be available in early 2016.
