Microsoft (MSFT +1.01%) is trying to capitalize on increased demand for electronic devices as people work and learn remotely curing to the COVID-19 pandemic, announcing new Surface devices and the launch date for its AirPod competitor, Surface Earbuds.
In a blog post, the software giant unveiled the Surface Go 2 tablet, the Surface Book 3 laptop, Surface Earbuds, and the Surface Headphones 2.
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The Surface Go 2, which is aimed at the education market, comes with a 10.5-inch display, improved battery life, and performance that is 64% speedier than the previous model. The tablet also comes equipped with dual microphones to decrease background noise and increase the clarity of the person speaking. It has front and rear-facing cameras to make it easier to scan documents. The tablet starts at $399 and will be available as of May 12.
The Surface Book 3 is Microsoft's most powerful laptop, boasting a 50% improvement in performance over its predecessor and as long as 17.5 hours of battery life. The laptop comes in 13-inch and 15-inch models and runs on Intel's 10th generation core processors. Microsoft also upped the memory, giving customers 32GB of RAM. The laptop is available as of May 21 and will start at $1599.
The tech stock's attempt to displace Apple (AAPL +0.11%) and its AirPods will come to market on May 12, priced at $199. The Surface Earbuds boasts touch controls so users don't have to take their phone out to start a call or play a new song. The earbuds also come with a wireless charging case to ensure all-day battery life. Microsoft also unveiled the Surface Headphones 2, its over-the-ear-headphones, which are priced at $249 and will start shipping on May 12. Microsoft improved sound quality and battery life over its previous iteration, providing users with up to 20 hours of sound on a single charge. The headphones also will be available in black for the first time.
When announcing these new devices, Microsoft noted that Windows PCs are seeing a resurgence amid the pandemic with more than 4 trillion minutes being spent on Windows 10 each month, marking a 75% year-over-year increase.
