What I expect (and don’t expect) at tomorrow’s Windows 10 Event in NYC

The day most Microsoft enthusiasts, fans, and watchers have been waiting for almost all year is now just less than 24 hours away. While Microsoft has detailed that it is set to unveil “what’s next for the future of Windows 10” in New York City on Wednesday, many specifics on the event have still been kept under the covers. What follows is a look at what I expect (and don’t expect) while in attendance at my first ever Microsoft Press event.

What NOT to expect

I find it more appropriate to begin by mentioning what most Microsoft followers such as myself seem to have become familiar with, the things that will not happen at the event. To begin with, I highly doubt that Microsoft will showcase any phones at this event. So, let’s put it to rest, there will not be a Surface Phone unveil on Wednesday.

Second on the list is the Microsoft Band 3 and fitness wearables. As we recently reported, Microsoft recently made it official that there would not be a Band 3 this year, and that the Band 2 had been pulled from the Microsoft store. This so, I don’t don’t think the company will have a change of heart and suddenly unveil a wearable that will shock the world.

Third up is any new information in regards to Project Scorpio. Again, since this event is themed towards the “future of Windows 10,” anything related to Xbox hardware will most likely not be unveiled at this event. There could, however, be some more information on Xbox Play Anywhere, or Xbox related gaming on Windows 10.

Next up is Surface Book 2, and Surface Pro 5.  As has been the theme amongst Microsoft watchers throughout the last few months, it is widely believed Microsoft will not announce a Surface Book 2 or a Surface Pro 5 this year, but rather wait until Spring of 2017. Given Microsoft’s recent sales on the existing lineup of Surface devices, there could, however, be a Surface line refresh with the newer Kaby Lake chips, but that’s pure speculation.

Last up is any mentions of Office and Office 365. Since Microsoft already told us that there would be a separate Office event on November 2nd, I don’t expect to hear much from the Office team at this event.

What you can expect

Topping the list of what can be expected at the event is a new Surface All in One. While Microsoft has remained quiet about the existence of such a device, we’ve reported on this rumored AIO “Surface Cardinal” device at length. Based on what we have already reported on, the newest Surface-branded device might be similar to an iMac, and might be aimed for the living room, complete with a large touchscreen display, support for pen and inking, and a slim design.

Next up is an unveil of new Surface-branded keyboard and mouse. Again, thanks to FCC filings, details on both the keyboard and mouse have leaked, so this one could be much less of a surprise.

Third up is more information on the Paint UWP, HoloLens, and Windows Holographic, and perhaps and unveiling of Microsoft’s rumored new 3D ecosystem, code-named Beihei. Fueling this is the fact that an early version of the Paint UWP had leaked, and the fact that Microsoft’s press invite for the event teased creativity with an “Imagine what you will do” header image.

Additionally, since Microsoft recently opened up Windows Holographic to other manufacturers, we could also hear about plans for the future of Windows Holographic, and what may happen with HoloLens moving into the future.

Going back to creativity, since some Microsoft patents for “Paint 3D” were recently revealed, we could also expect to hear more about how HoloLens, or Paint, and how the two can be used for creating and using a 3D objects or environment.

To wrap things up, a Home Hub, or a product similar to Amazon Echo might also appear at this event. As we previously have reported, details on a project very similar to what a Home Hub can be was recently spotted on a Microsoft employee’s LinkedIn page.

I’ll be at the event live, so be sure to follow us on Twitter and across social media to stay up to date on all the news coming out of Microsoft’s October event. And, stay tuned for a post on Thursday, which will give you a personal look at what it’s like to attend a Microsoft Press event.

What are you expecting tomorrow? Will Microsoft pull out some surprises? Let us know what you think will happen in the comments below.