Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 could be a regular laptop and arrive next month

Microsoft surprised everyone with its unveiling of the Surface Book laptop with a detachable display, but the software maker might not bring this tablet feature to its Surface Book 2. DigiTimes reports that Microsoft’s new Surface Book has entered mass production and could be unveiled by the end of the month or April. The timing is hardly surprising given persistent rumors about the Surface Book successor over the past year, but DigiTimes also claims Microsoft will adopt a clamshell design for the Surface Book 2 instead of existing 2-in-1 design.

It’s hard to read too much into DigiTimes’ report as the publication has a mixed record on these types of predictions, but it’s worth noting that DigiTimes first accurately reported that Microsoft was planning its Surface Studio all-in-one PC last year. The new Surface Book 2 is said to include a 13.5-inch display, with a lower starting price of $1,000 because of the rumored design change. DigiTimes also claims Microsoft shipped 500,000 Surface Book devices last year, and that the laptop had limited demand due to the detachable design conflicting with the company’s Surface Pro line.

Microsoft refreshed its Surface Book in October with a performance base option designed to improve battery life and offer better graphics support. While the hinge gap shrunk a little, most are expecting a more radical redesign for the Surface Book 2, especially after Porsche Design just unveiled its own alternative to the Surface Book. If DigiTimes’ report is accurate, we’ll find out exactly what Microsoft is planning within the next month or so.