Microsoft Surface Pro 5 release date, specs, latest news: Surface Pro with Surface Pen coming in 2017?

Despite rumors that Microsoft could launch the successor to its Surface Pro 4 sometime this month, tech industry watchers now say that an early 2017 unveiling is more likely.

Without an official announcement from the tech giant, whether or not there will be a Microsoft Surface Pro 5 remains purely speculation. Nonetheless, there has been much talk about the Surface Pro 5 coming with a rechargeable Surface Pen, a wider display and a USB-C port.

Because the Surface Pro 4 was launched in October 2015, it seems unlikely that the rumored Surface Pro 5 will debut this month, just days away from its first anniversary. PC Advisor UK notes that an October 2016 announcement from Microsoft is still possible, as previous reports have suggested, but believes that the device it will launch this month is something other than the Surface Pro 5. The tech blog suggests the Surface Book 2, a new Surface 4 or a Surface All-in-One to rival the iMac. 

PC Advisor UK suggests that the Surface Pro 5 could launch in the early months of 2017, coinciding with the next major update, known as Redstone or RS2, for Windows 10. The 2017 debut may also be due to Microsoft having to wait for Intel's new Kaby Lake chipsets and processors, which may not be ready until the end of 2016.

For the Microsoft Surface Pro 5, tech watchers are expecting a sharper and bigger display, the incorporation of USB-C ports and the replacement of the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack.

Aside from these, the device is also expected to come with a rechargeable Surface Pen that has a magnetic charging dock built into it. Today's Surface Pens are powered by either button cell or triple A batteries.

The details of this new feature were allegedly leaked in a Microsoft patent application earlier this year. According to the patent uncovered by Patently Mobile, the stylus charger may come in the form of a dock that keeps the stylus in a particular spot as it charges. This is similar to how the iPad Pro's Apple Pencil charges by connecting to the tablet's Lightning port.

In addition, Tech Radar says that it hopes to see the Surface Pro 5 offer at least 7 hours of battery life, which would make its battery power competitive with that of the iPad Pro and the MacBook Air.

Microsoft has yet to announce the official release date for the Surface Pro 5.