Mar 28, 2017 03:09 PM EDT By Lucy McClaren, UniversityHerald Reporter

Though the Surface Pro 5 has not been confirmed in Microsoft's Spring event, it is the only hardware that may make it in time to showcase the Windows 10 Creators Update before it is released to mainstream users this April. Meanwhile, there are reports saying that the Surface Book 2 will not be appearing in Microsoft's spring event because it is not ready yet while the new unannounced Surface mobile device is more suited for the coming Redstone 3 this fall.

The Microsoft Spring event is highly anticipated in much the same way as the October event because Microsoft often uses these venues to launch new hardware. Last October 2015, the Redmond-based giant unveiled the 2-in-1 Surface Book and the tablet computing Windows 10 powered Surface Pro 4. With the arrival of the Windows 10 Creators Update, the Surface Pro 5 is expected to be launched this spring as the hardware to highlight the OS' latest offerings. ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, a renowned Microsoft watcher has already reported that her sources say that there will be no Surface Book coming this spring because it will not be ready yet.

However, Foley's sources did not dismiss the Surface Pro 5 in Microsoft's spring event only saying that it was unsure if it will make an appearance. Observers are now saying that it could be the very hardware to demonstrate the Windows 10 Creators Update particularly its 3D Paint, new Game Mode, game streaming from Beam and Windows Mixed Reality support. The 2-in-1 tablet may also feature the new e-book functionality in Edge, some alterations to the enterprise security and the Cloud edition, which was previously announced but not officially. The last feature is believed to be unrelated to Cloud but only to make Windows users exclusively using apps from the Windows store.

There are also reports that Microsoft may unveil a new Surface device in a new category like the reported 13.5-in. clamshell-like Surface by Digitimes. This is in line with Microsoft's philosophy in launching hardware in a new category, targeting a particular niche, and not competing head-to-head with other rivals. This is best illustrated with the Surface Studio, believed to be iMac's closest rival, but it was specially designed for creatives who may want a desktop that can literally transform into a studio. If a new Surface device is indeed coming then the Surface Pro 5 may not be arriving soon or may come in October at the earliest.

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