Update: 4G LTE-powered Microsoft Surface 3 launch imminent

By Gabe Carey Published October 1, 2015

The Microsoft Surface 3 with its blue keyboard. — Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Update 7/21/2015 1:10PM: AT&T has released details about how it will offer the Surface 3 LTE. The base, 64GB model will be free with a $30/month plan. There’s also a combo offer for the tablet with a Lumia smartphone for $399. In both cases, the Type Cover and other accessories are extra. AT&T’s offers will launch on Friday.

Original text: When Microsoft revealed the Surface 3 in March of this year, many were roused by the omission of Windows RT, and the tablet’s full-on adoption of Windows 8.1 with x86 software compatibility. Unfortunately, those looking to browse the web on the go were shorted as every variant of the tablet available appeared to be Wi-Fi only.

Recommended Videos

Now, starting in Japan, Microsoft is releasing a 4G LTE-enabled version of the Surface 3, according to Tom’s Hardware. Mobile broadband service for the tablet is available through Japanese carrier Y!Mobile as the Surface 3 with 4G LTE makes its way to Germany (Deutsche Telekom) and the U.K. (O2) on July 3rd, as well as France (Orange Business Service) and Spain (Movistar) at an undisclosed point in time.

The first shipment of mobile broadband-enabled Surface 3 devices will be available exclusively to businesses and sales groups. Microsoft expects this offer to appeal more to businesses and less to everyday consumers, hence the priority of enterprise buyers. It’s likely that the update will roll out to consumer customers at some point as well.

When the new Surface 3 does retail commercially, it will be available in Germany, France, the U.K., and the U.S. with two models available for purchase. The cheaper one, presumably, will ship with 64GB of storage and 2GB of RAM, while the more expensive unit will hoist 128GB of storage and 4GB of memory. The pricing has yet to be declared for either model of the Surface 3 with 4G LTE.

Given its reputation as a hybrid machine, wielding the powers of both a laptop and a tablet, 4G LTE is just icing on the cake for businesses seeking an inexpensive alternative to the high-end, albeit costly Surface Pro 3. With Windows 8.1 pre-installed, the guarantee of a free upgrade to Windows 10, and now, built-in 4G LTE functionality, this announcement may be just tempting enough to push some indecisive customers over the edge.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

A freelancer for Digital Trends, Gabe Carey has been covering the intersection of video games and technology since he was 16…

Computing

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 vs. Surface Book 3 13: Which 2-in-1 wins?

microsoft surface go pro book pen headphones adorama best buy home office sale 7

If you're in the market for a 2-in-1 and you're particularly enamored of Microsoft's Surface line, you have several outstanding choices. The Surface Go 2 rounds out the bottom end and the the 15-inch Surface Book 3 marks the high end. But in the middle, where most people are shopping, things get murky.

The Surface Pro 7, and the Surface Book 3 13 are a bit more equally matched. They are different sizes and take different approaches to making a laptop work as a tablet, so the choice between them can still be confusing. Which better suits your needs? Here's everything you need to know.
Design

Computing

How Windows 7 saved Microsoft from driving over a cliff — twice

Windows 7 Laptop

Windows 7 is dead. And yet, at the time of support ending for Windows 7, 26% of PCs worldwide were still running the nearly 10-year-old operating system. It was a beloved piece of software that people have been clinging to for years.

But Windows 7 also plays an important role in Microsoft's recent history. In two dire times of recent Microsoft history, Windows 7 was the stalwart operating system that kept the legacy of Windows alive and well.
Doing what Vista could not

Wearables

Mobvoi’s connected Ticwatch Pro 4G LTE takes on Apple and Samsung in the U.K.

mobvoi ticwatch pro 4glte review 4g lte 21

The Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 4G LTE is one of the few WearOS smartwatches available with a cellular connection, and until now it has only been available with Verizon in the United States. But that has now changed. The Ticwatch Pro 4G LTE has launched on the Vodafone network in the United Kingdom, where it operates with the OneNumber plan, so all your connected devices work together.

Currently, the Ticwatch Pro 4G LTE is not listed on Vodafone’s website, but is for sale through Mobvoi itself and on Amazon, where it costs 250 British pounds. In the U.S., the Ticwatch Pro 4G LTE costs $240 at the time of writing. Provided you use Vodafone for your smartphone connection and have a Red Plan tariff, the Ticwatch Pro 4G can be added to it for a small monthly fee using OneNumber.