Microsoft to launch an all-in-one device running Windows 10

Microsoft will hold a fall hardware launch in late October, where, as per reports, it would reveal a Surface-branded device, called "Cardinal", zdnet.com reported.

According to commentators the Surface Cardinal could be positioned as a product that could turn one's desk into "a studio".

They say the Cardinal was likely the rumoured Surface All-in-One (AIO) device running Windows 10, which might be offered in one, two, and/or three different screen sizes (21, 24 ,or 27), as first reported by Windows Central.

The device may be a consumer-focused version of Microsoft's Surface Hub, as speculated by Windows Central, which would use the Perceptive Pixel screen technology that was at the core of Surface Hub.

In 2015, Microsoft had applied for a patent for an all-in-one modular PC in 2015, which was published in February 2016.

Meanwhile, Windows Central reported that Microsoft was developing a new Surface all-in-one (AIO) PC running Windows 10, citing a reliable source who had confirmed the news with Windows Central and it followed an earlier report by Digitimes.

According to Windows Central while Digitimes claimed a Q3 2016 release for the alleged Surface AIO, its sources suggested such details were undecided at this time. The timeframe for next-gen Surface products including the Surface AIO depended on availability for Intel's new Kaby Lake 14 nanometer processor, the successor to Skylake.

Windows Central further added that the company as positioning the Surface AIO for the living room. The device was evidently targeting a "modern and elegant" design and was supposed to be something akin to a premium appliance or furniture.

All-in-one PCs combine a display with high-end hardware into a single device. AIO PCs offered an experience that was similar to an appliance rather than a traditional PC tower, external peripherals, and messy wires connecting them all together.