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Microsoft's new 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop meet the technical specs for Copilot Plus PCs but are not being marketed under that name, Surface CVP Brett Ostrom confirmed to Windows Central. Qualcomm's Kedar Kondap indicated similar devices will likely drop the branding going forward too.
At Snapdragon Summit 2026, Microsoft's Brett Ostrum announced updated 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop models powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite X2 processors, extending a chip already used in larger Surface devices. The refreshed machines also get higher RAM ceilings of 16GB and 24GB, up from 8GB and 16GB previously.
Microsoft has appointed Vice Chair and President Brad Smith to head its communications operations, succeeding longtime comms chief Frank Shaw, who is departing after more than 17 years at the company. Brent Colburn will serve as interim communications leader reporting to Smith during the transition, with Shaw staying on to advise both.
Following the fading hype around VR/AR headsets like Meta's Oculus, Microsoft's HoloLens, and Apple's Vision Pro, a quieter trend is developing: Audio Augmented Reality (AAR), enabled by smart headphones, improved voice AI, and contextual data. Early precursors included Microsoft's Soundscape, an accessibility tool using spatial audio cues for the visually impaired, and FourSquare's MarsBot, which offered personalized audio prompts.
Microsoft announced a new Surface Mouse that will go on sale October 13 for $80, marking its first update to the accessory since 2016. The device adds haptic feedback that vibrates subtly during clicks, window snapping, and object alignment, plus a customizable action button designed primarily for Copilot use via the Surface app.
Microsoft is refreshing its smaller Surface Pro and Surface Laptop with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Plus chip, launching October 13. The devices keep last year's design but get 16GB minimum RAM (up from 8GB), brighter screens, and modest battery life gains. Starting prices jump to $1,149.99 for the Surface Pro and $1,199.99 for the Surface Laptop, up from $799.99 and $899.99 respectively.
Proofpoint researchers presented findings at Protect 2026 describing a threat actor, tracked as UNK_CondorFiltration, that has been targeting Microsoft 365 environments in Chile since July 21. Using the open-source TeamFiltration toolkit and credential spraying, the attacker did not compromise any human employee accounts but instead broke in through neglected non-human machine and service accounts, gaining access to sensitive data.
Microsoft laid off 268 employees across its gaming division this week and restructured major studios and franchises, including cutting most of Halo Studios' staff while keeping a small team to support existing titles like Halo Infinite. According to sources cited by the reporter, the next mainline Halo game was years from release, prompting Microsoft to shut it down rather than continue development.
Microsoft unveiled a redesigned Surface Mouse at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit, nearly a decade after the original launched in 2016. The new model adds haptic feedback, a customizable Action Button that defaults to launching Copilot, Bluetooth 6.0 multi-device support, and a battery Microsoft says lasts up to six months. It arrives October 13 in Black and Platinum for $79.99, alongside new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices.
Microsoft has resolved a bug that stopped File History from backing up or restoring files to external drives or network locations after the September 2026 security update. The fix ships in the optional cumulative updates KB5124006 and KB5124010 for Windows 11 26H1 and 24H2/25H2 respectively. Affected users had seen crash events referencing FileHistory.exe, false 'Reconnect your drive' prompts, and backups that stopped updating.
Microsoft filed a patent in June describing a generative AI system that would adjust a game's content based on how an individual player explores, interacts with characters, and reacts—potentially even using facial expression tracking. The system could generate new quests, lore, or NPCs around areas a player favors, remove less-engaging content, and decide whether to fold AI-generated material into the main storyline.
Microsoft has lowered prices on its smaller Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models, bringing them closer to costs seen two years ago. The refreshed bundles now include a Surface Mouse, though keyboards and the stylus remain separate purchases.