Microsoft Unveils New Surface Devices, Android Desktop Gets Closer, and Apple Eyes AI Search

Big Tech Shifts: Microsoft’s Copilot, Android Desktop, and Apple’s AI Search Strategy

This week in tech brought a wave of major updates from some of the industry’s biggest players. Microsoft introduced new Surface hardware and smart AI-powered Windows features, Android is taking a bold step toward desktop computing, and Apple is quietly signaling a move toward AI-powered search within Safari. Here’s everything you need to know.

Microsoft Introduces Copilot-Enhanced Windows and Affordable Surface Devices

Microsoft just laid out its vision for the future of Windows and Surface — and it’s looking increasingly intelligent. In a detailed blog post, the company teased a host of upcoming features that revolve around its AI assistant, Copilot.

One of the most interesting additions is the ability to use natural language to search Windows settings and toggle them directly from search. Microsoft also wants Copilot to help users in productivity apps — like summarizing text or offering real-time editing tips inside Photoshop, even highlighting areas for improvement visually.

Third-party apps are being brought into the fold too. Popular software like CapCut, DaVinci Resolve, DJ Pro, and Gigapixel AI are being optimized to use built-in neural processing units (NPUs) on new Windows devices — improving image segmentation and other AI-heavy tasks.

On the hardware side, Microsoft has launched more budget-friendly versions of its flagship devices. The new Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 13 offer slightly smaller screens but retain premium features. The Surface Pro, starting at $799, is fanless, packs a 90Hz display, supports facial recognition with Windows Hello, and includes stylus support. Add $150 for the new keyboard, and it’s still under $1,000 — a first for a decently specced Surface Pro bundle.

Both devices come with Snapdragon X Plus chips, 16GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage. The Surface Laptop, which does include a fan and a 60Hz screen, starts at $899. While they drop the proprietary Surface Connect port in favor of USB-C, not everyone will welcome that change.

What may irritate some users more is Microsoft’s pricing shift. By discontinuing base models of the higher-end Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7, the company has effectively raised entry-level pricing. Now, the lowest storage tier available for those models starts at 512GB — and costs at least $200 more than previous options.

Android Is Coming to Desktops — For Real This Time

Google is finally giving Android a full desktop experience. According to Android expert Mishaal Rahman, the company is developing its own version of Samsung DeX — the feature that allows Android phones to function like PCs when connected to an external display.

Rahman got his hands on an early version of this new desktop mode using a Pixel phone. It already includes a taskbar with pinned and recent apps, support for floating windows, and multi-app multitasking. This puts it much closer to a real desktop OS than anything we’ve seen from Android before.

While the new mode likely won’t be ready when Android 16 rolls out, it could arrive in a later release — or even with Android 17.

Some are speculating there’s a deeper reason behind this shift. If Google is ever forced to separate from Chrome — possibly due to antitrust rulings — ChromeOS might also be on the chopping block. In that scenario, building a fully functional desktop experience into Android could serve as a contingency plan.

Interestingly, Samsung is also updating DeX to better match Google’s desktop vision. Changes so far appear mostly cosmetic, but they suggest the two platforms may soon be more in sync than ever before.

Apple Hints at AI Replacing Search in Safari

Apple also made headlines this week — and not in the way Google would have liked. In a courtroom admission, Apple’s Senior VP of Services, Eddy Cue, revealed that Safari searches declined for the first time ever last month. He attributed the drop to users turning to AI tools like ChatGPT instead of traditional search engines.

Cue mentioned that Apple is considering adding AI-powered search providers to Safari in the future. While he acknowledged that today’s AI isn’t fully ready to replace search engines, he believes that shift is coming soon.

In response, Google quickly claimed that search activity from Apple devices continues to grow. But the market wasn’t convinced. Following Cue’s statements, Google’s stock fell nearly 10%, underscoring investor concern about AI disrupting its search dominance.

Quickfire Product News: New Fitness Bands, Gaming Keyboard, and a Military Tablet

In the product launch world, several new devices dropped this week:

• Whoop released three updated fitness bands featuring longer battery life and deeper tracking, especially for menstrual cycle insights.
• Razer launched the Joro — a slim, portable gaming keyboard that keeps the RGB lighting while being easy to travel with.
• Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab Active 5 Tactical Edition. Designed with the U.S. Department of Defense, it includes stealth mode (disabling all wireless signals), GPS blocking, and a 5G lock mode. This one won’t be available to the public — it’s strictly for government or enterprise customers.

Final Thought: Microsoft’s Pricing Games

A quick personal rant from a reviewer’s perspective: Finding clear product links for Microsoft’s Surface devices is unnecessarily confusing. On Amazon’s UK site, older and newer models are often listed side-by-side with near-identical names, despite being completely different internally. This not only misleads buyers but also makes it harder for reviewers to link to the right products.

Conclusion

From AI-integrated Windows features and budget Surface devices to Android’s desktop ambitions and Apple’s quiet search revolution, this week in tech offered a glimpse of what’s next for your devices — and how we interact with them. One thing’s clear: AI is no longer a future concept; it’s quickly becoming the standard across the tech industry.