The biggest Surface around is now shipping, and while you may use it in a meeting soon, you probably won’t be taking it to the coffee shop.
Microsoft’s Surface Hub, shipping to business customers today, puts a custom version of Windows 10 on a 55- or 84-inch touchscreen with support for video conferencing, multitouch and digital pens.
Originally, the Surface Hub was supposed to ship Sept. 1 last year, but that date was pushed to the first day of 2016 in August. While Seattle’s KING-TV got a Surface Hub for its new headquarters earlier this year, the ship date for other customers was pushed again in December, along with a price bump. Now, units are actually on their way to customers.
“I can tell you confidently, our Surface team works together better because we have Surface Hub,” Microsoft device marketing manager Brian Hall said in a blog post. “We are not just releasing a powerful device. We are releasing a team-empowering solution that will make meetings more productive, modernize workflows, and let people engage with data much better.”
According to a Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Microsoft, early business testers saw increases in productivity, reduced time spent setting up for meetings, and decreased printing costs when using the Surface Hub.
Business can order their own Surface Hub, but may have to wait until after the first batch ships. The 55-inch Surface Hub model is $8,999 and the 84-inch model is $21,999.
