Microsoft Lumia 950, 950 XL Release Date: Flagship Lumias, Band 2, Xbox One Mini & More to Launch During Massive October Event

By Jomar Endriga
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Microsoft is expected is to launch a slew of products including the Lumia 950 and 950 XL this October.  Microsoft

If you think that Apple is the only tech giant poised to launch new products this autumn, you might be gravely mistaken. Microsoft is also reported to hold a massive event that will unveil not only two of its next-generation flagship smartphones, but also a new fitness tracker, an updated Surface tablet, and smaller version of its popular Xbox One game console.

The arrival of this fresh hardware roster from Microsoft is reported by a Chinese website called WPDang.com, which is subsequently "confirmed" by The Verge, a prominent US-based online tech publication. This news also adds fuel to earlier speculation that the Redmond-based company will update its consumer devices range in preparation for the holiday season.

Products included in the leak include the heavily rumored Lumia 950 & 950 XL handsets, a smart wearable device called Band 2, a mini version of the Xbox One, and the Surface Pro 2 tablet. However, it seems that the WPDand post has been taken down as we are unable to access it as of this writing.

If we try to delve deeper into this rumored launch, we can observe that aside from Lumia smartphones, the other devices are still relatively unknown. For instance, the mini Xbox One variant was unheard of until now.

It seems questionable that Microsoft will unveil it together with mobile phones and tablets since there are other more proper venues where it could be introduced. If the company indeed have a mini console in the works, it should have been launched during this year's E3 2015 or the Gamescom trade show a few weeks ago.

Similarly, not much is known about the Band 2, a second-generation fitness tracker developed by Microsoft Health. The same can be said for the Surface Pro 2, although there scant rumors claiming that it will be powered by Intel's new Skylake processors.

What we know much about is Microsoft's upcoming flagship handsets. The Lumia 950 and 950 XL, formerly known as the Lumia 940 and 940 XL, are expected to be the company's follow-up to its previous flagships released more than a year ago. Countless reports mentioned that both models will pack high-end specs.

The Lumia 950 will reportedly feature a 5.2-inch QHD display powered by Qualcomm's hexa-core Snapdragon 808 chipset. It comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB built-in but expandable memory. A powerful 20-megapixel PureView camera is furnished along with a removable 3,000mAh battery.

The larger Lumia 950 XL, meanwhile, will sport almost the same specs with the main difference apparently being its 5.7-inch screen. It will have similar RAM, storage, and camera but will have a faster Snapdragon 810 processor and a heftier 3,300mAh battery.

At this point, Microsoft has not divulged anything about this alleged October press event. You might be consoled by the fact that a reputable site like The Verge backed this rumored launch, but it's still best to take this with a dose of skepticism. 

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