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Microsoft Surface Pro 5 release date, specs update: Launch moved to 2017 in line with Intel Kaby Lake processor's arrival

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 | Wikimedia Commons

Tech savvy users will have to wait a little longer to have their hands on the Microsoft Surface Pro 5, as recent reports state that its release date will be pushed back to 2017.

As noted by reports, the tech giant aims to use Intel's much-talked-about Kaby Lake processor for the upcoming flagship device. On the other hand, the trusted chipmaker won't be able to mass-produce the said processor in a very limited timeframe. This leaves the company with only one option, and that is to delay the release until the processor arrives which is speculated to roll out in the first half of 2017.

Additionally, the Surface Pro 5 will run on a pre-installed Windows 10 Redstone 2 operating system, and it can function for up to a total of 7 hours after filling up the battery. A lot of users previously complained of the Surface Pro 4's 5-hour battery life, since the company claimed that it will run continuously for 9 hours. Users hope that Microsoft will resolve the battery issues once and for all.

It will also have a stylus called the "Surface Pen." How does it work? According to Microsoft's patent application, "A stylus may provide active functionality that is powered by a rechargeable battery. A charging circuit within the stylus may provide charging current for recharging the battery via one or more terminals configured to contact charging contacts of an associated stylus charge."

As for the display, the device will have a 12.3-inch screen coupled with a pixel resolution of 2736×1824. The Surface Pro 5 will sport a USB Type-C port, a feature which is mostly seen in rival flagship devices like the Chromebook Pixel and the MacBook. Rumor has it that the Surface Pro 5 will retail approximately $899.

To date, Microsoft has yet to officially introduce the Surface Pro 5 to the public, and readers are advised to take all rumors with a grain of salt.