A sign is highlighted on the wall during the launch event of the new Microsoft Surface Pro 3 in New York May 20, 2014.
A sign is highlighted on the wall during the launch event of the new Microsoft Surface Pro 3 in New York May 20, 2014. Microsoft Corp on Tuesday unveiled a larger but lighter version of its Surface Pro tablet as it ramps up efforts to make an impact on the mobile computing market and counter the popularity of Apple Inc's iPad and MacBook Air laptop. Reuters/Brendan McDermid

The Surface Pro 4 release date this 2015 is imminent as Microsoft will reportedly start production of the Windows 10-powered tablet in June. Unveiling of the device is lined up this April while the actual rollout is scheduled in the second half of the year.

Citing its unnamed “sources from the upstream supply chain,” DigiTimes of Taiwan reported this week production activities for the Pro 4 tablet will commence following its April introduction. Perceived as the iPad Pro’s direct competitor, the upcoming surface tablet is predicted to increase Microsoft’s piece in the increasingly saturated global tablet market share.

Shipment growth

With the Surface Pro 4 and the Surface 3 as the banner products, Microsoft is forecasted to improve its standing against the competition. From the two million units it shipped out in 2014, the software giant will likely deliver more than four million Surface tablets to its distributing and retail partners around the world by the end of the year, DigiTimes said.

As interest on the Surface tablets spike up, the same report pointed to the likelihood that Windows-powered devices will breach the 15-million mark by the end of 2015. The Microsoft-made tablet is gaining considerable attention for its largely business-centric functions. The tablet is also marketed as the best option for consumers looking to score a laptop replacement.

Likely boosted too by the arrival of the reengineered Windows 10 operating, the Surface tablet brand by Microsoft is expected to register a minimum growth of 30 per cent from last year. The replacement for Windows 8.1, as well as the existing versions still in use, is pegged to start rolling out in the summer of 2015, as earlier hinted by a senior Microsoft executive.

Specs and features to expect

The Pro 4 like the Surface Pro 3 before it is deemed a worthy rival for the industry leading iPad from Apple. Ahead of the Pro 4’s arrival this year, Microsoft fans are anticipating a major jump from last year’s build.

Among the features hotly discussed is the tablet main engine that reports said is a toss between Intel Core M and Skylake. The latter is also from Intel but will not be available in wholesale numbers until the second half of 2015.

Talks are also rife that part of the Surface Pro 4 enhancement is the inclusion of a built-in slot for a ready-to-use stylus for the tablet. Yet the most exciting features that the device will likely bring to the table are packed in a shell called Windows 10 that experts said will bolster the Pro 4 computing prowess into near-desktop level.

On its release date, which reports said could happen between July and October 2015, the Surface Pro 4 will have a starting price of $1200. With such tag price plus brandishing the capabilities of a regular MacBook notebook, the device is viewed as a likely commercial hit for Microsoft.

To report problems or leave feedback on this article, email: r.pineda@ibtimes.com.au.

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