Microsoft wants to change its Type Cover accessories for the next gen Surface Pro, as they’ve just patented a version of Type Cover that has an USB Type-C port. It may come with the Surface Pro 7 this fall and it uses magnets to stop “flopping”.
The patent shows a new type of Type Cover, with built in magnets, that stick the keyboard to the back of a Surface device when it’s flipped around. That happens every once in a while when you use the Windows 10 Tablet Mode. Surface owners who use the Tablet Mode a lot, probably know that they can remove the Type Cover for a proper tablet experience, but now there’s a way to keep it attached even then.
Right now the keyboard folds under the device, when you want to use it as a tablet and it’s held in place by your grip. The patent could be all about the magnet system, perhaps a new and revolutionary system, but it also includes hints about a future Surface PRo. There’s a new USB Type-C port on the side, plus the USB Type-C and DisplayPort we already know.
Microsoft has also moved the audio jack to the bottom and adjusted the tab needed to access the kickstand. There’s no Surface Connect port here, which is odd. It could be time to finally move to ThunderBolt 3, not just a regular USB-C.
