The Surface Hub 2 looks like an amazing new device with all the high quality aspects of the Microsoft Surface family.
Since the Surface Hub 2 was introduced in summer 2018 we still do not exactly know when the Surface Hub 2 will be available. Microsoft tells it should be here somewhen in spring or summer 2019. If it will be available from start in all countries where Surface Hub 1 has been sold is not clear.
Surface Hub 2S
The Surface Hub 2 will be lighter, sleeker and easier to use. Microsoft will bring two new versions of the Surface Hub. Surface Hub 2S and Surface Hub 2X. While Surface Hub 2S is the only one available in 2019 this device is for all the companies that bought already Surface Hub 1. 2S will be standardised with the original Surface Hub.
Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams will both run on the Surface Hub 2S and users will get the same user experience on Surface Hub 1. On the Microsoft Surface Hub 2 Website it is written that the Hub 2 is build for Microsoft teams.
Surface Hub X
The Surface Hub 2X will bring the major improvements in 2020. The ability to tile and rotate and the multi user login will be features of the 2X. Customers can update Surface Hub 2S to the 2X version by replacing a processer cartridge at the back of the device.
Until companies can leverage the full potential of Surface Hub 2 it will take some time and if they want to start earlier there are several alternatives on the market.
What are the alternatives to waiting for Surface Hub 2S and 2X?
Companies that already have a Surface Hub 1 can start to do more with these devices and companies that wanted to buy Surface Hub 1 can switch to other devices like Windows Collaboration Displays (WCD), the DELL 75” 4K Interactive Touch Monitor (C7520QT), the SMART Pro Series or many similar large interactive displays. They all are already available or will be earlier available than the Surface Hub.
The big difference between all of them and the Surface Hub is, that the touchscreen of the Surface Hub is capacitive and writing with the pen feels much more natural, compared to the other devices that you in-glass Infrared or other technologies.
If you want to learn more about the Windows Collaboration displays have a look at this blogpost. Here we explain the basics you need to know:
Windows Collaboration Displays – The basics you need to know
At ISE Avocor, Sharp, DELL, SMART and all the others will show their latest products and it will be interesting to see if there will be any device with the same touchscreen quality like the Surface Hub.
Get ready for interactive displays in your meeting rooms
Microsoft started with the Surface Hub to create a new collaboration experience in modern meeting rooms. Together with Windows 10 this gave a boost to the whole market and companies are thinking more than ever to equip their meeting rooms with interactive touchscreens. Dependent on the source there are over 50 million business meeting rooms that are ripe for transformation.
There are a lot of different displays of different sizes available from brands like Samsung, DELL, Clevertouch, C-Touch, ProWise, Panasonic, BenQ, NEC, RICOH and Avocor Sharp and more.
All of these devices have their pro’s and con’s but what unifies them is that people can work using multi-touch and stylus input to collaborate in a modern, smart meeting room.
If you want to boost this new way of working now it makes sense not to wait for the Surface Hub 2. The alternatives are good enough for a lot of different use cases in the modern meeting room.
How to make your meetings smarter?
Besides the hardware, software and user adoption are the key factors that determine if meeting rooms get smarter and meetings more effective. We at IBV are helping companies all over the world to increase the usage of Surface Hub 1 and Windows Collaboration Displays and help people to transform the way they work together. We are doing that with a lot of experience from various customers we coached how to use the Surface Hub 1 and other touch devices.
We developed two apps CollaBoard and DocumentExplorer that help people to start the digital transformation of meetings together with their Windows Collaboration Device and any other large touchscreen.
Surface Hub and Windows Collaboration Display use cases with CollaBoard