Microsoft Surface Pro 5 release date, specs rumors: Next Surface device not expected until 2017; Microsoft to announce Surface Pro 5 this October?

Microsoft has not yet announced the next iteration of the Surface Pro. Several months have passed since the company released the Surface Pro 4, and many tech enthusiasts believe that it is high time for Microsoft to develop the Surface Pro 5. Nevertheless, the rumors are rife that the Surface Pro 5 will indeed arrive, but that is not expected to happen until 2017.

According to Tech Radar, the Surface Pro 5 may not be released this year, contrary to earlier reports that the Surface Pro 4's successor will hit the markets in the later part of 2016. There are a number of possible reasons why the Redmond-based tech giant is not ready to launch Surface Pro 5 just yet. However, the online publication points out that Microsoft's plans to include the latest and the best device specs that exist today may be causing the delay. Specifically, Microsoft is rumored to use Intel's next generation of processor, the Kaby Lake chipset.

The Kaby Lake processor is expected to be faster and more powerful than the current Skylake chipset. The thing is that Intel has yet to ship the Kaby Lake processors, and the company is not expected to do so until the later part of this year. With this, the production of Surface Pro 5 will not be done until the first part of 2017.

Microsoft is also rumored to have the Surface Pro 5 pre-installed with Windows 10 Redstone 2 OS, but the next Windows update is not expected to be finished until next year as well.

Still, the much awaited Surface Pro 5 announcement may happen sooner. There are reports that Microsoft will not wait until next year to reveal the next Surface device. The latest rumors suggest that Microsoft will be having a huge press event this October that may include the showcasing of the Surface Pro 5. If this turns out correct, the Microsoft event in October will go against the rumored press event of Apple, which is said to reveal the new Macbook Pro and Macbook Air.

However, according to Neowin, Microsoft may instead launch an all-new device and not the new Surface Pro. This is expected to be an all-in-one computer that "turns your desk into a studio." As the information is still unconfirmed, it would be best to wait for Microsoft's official announcement before expecting for anything.