SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 3 — Dual-screen laptops powered by a dedicated Windows operating system are slated to roll out in just a year.

Yesterday, at Microsoft’s Surface Event in New York, the company announced updated laptops, a pair of wireless earbuds, and even its return to the smartphone industry. In addition to the series of new products, Microsoft also introduced Windows 10X, an operating system in development destined for the dual-screen PCs of 2020.

The company offered a preview of the upcoming dual-screen Surface Neo, a laptop-like device which will be one of the first to be powered by the new OS, followed by those from ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo.

Briefly outlining the potential benefits of such a device powered by the Windows 10X operating system, Microsoft stated that professional and personal users alike would appreciate taking notes on one screen while reviewing a proposal on the other, watching a video at the same time as browsing the web, and viewing a presentation while simultaneously participating in a video conference call.

According to the company, people can use the new type of operating system "with practically no learning curve.” It was designed to feel familiar to Windows 10 users; in fact, it evolved from the original PC OS.

Devices using Window 10X will first begin to roll out in the fall of 2020; the company promises that a "wave” of dual-screen devices with varying sizes, designs, and specs will be available in time for next year’s holiday season. — AFP-Relaxnews