It could shape up to be a busy spring hardware season for Microsoft. The company is rumored to be launching a new webcam, as well as the Surface Laptop 4 and other peripherals, at its next Surface event in a few weeks, according to Microsoft watcher Brad Sams.
Details are naturally scarce, but it is believed that this new webcam could sport a privacy cover, as well as support for high dynamic range video. This would be Microsoft’s first external webcam since the 2006 release of the Lifecam, which is actually still available for purchase.
The more important rumor, though, is the mention of the Surface Laptop 4. Sams believes that the Surface Laptop could be refreshed at this event.
The timing would make sense, as previous leaked specs sheets obtained by the German blog WinFuture revealed that the Surface Laptop 4 could come with Intel’s latest 11th-generation processors under the hood, as well as options for AMD’s 4000 Series Ryzen processors. Additionally, for the first time, both sizes of the laptop could have options for either processor. Previously, only the 15-inch model featured AMD’s processors.
With many people still working and learning from home due to the pandemic (and with the boom for Microsoft Teams videoconferencing in mind,) a refreshed or new webcam for consumers from Microsoft would not be too surprising. It would pair up as a great accessory to enhance the Teams experience on Microsoft’s existing products like the Surface Laptop Go or the Surface Pro 7+.
However, Sams believes the new webcam might not support 4K. Microsoft has been working on webcams since 2019, according to Sams, with a product code-named “Bari,” though it is not related and is a “deviation” from what is expected to be revealed.
We’re not certain when this event will be held, but we do know it’s going to be all virtual and not the traditional in-person hardware extravaganza in New York. Microsoft has canceled all in-person events through the end of this year and is said to be considering breakout digital news events for each of its products, like Windows, Xbox, and Azure.