Incase will unearth Microsoft-branded accessories from the Microsoft Graveyard in Q4 2024: "The products will be the same, but instead of saying Microsoft they’ll say Incase, designed by Microsoft"

What you need to know

Last year, Microsoft announced the discontinuation of Microsoft-branded accessories to focus on its Surface brand.
Onward Brands took over the mantle from Microsoft and is slated to continue the development of these accessories under a different brand name — Incase Designed by Microsoft.
The company promises that the products will be of the same quality, and will now ship in Q4 of 2024, not Q2 as earlier communicated.

As someone who has been following the tech industry for a significant part of my life, I find it intriguing to see the evolutions and transformations that brands undergo. The recent news about Microsoft discontinuing its branded accessories and passing the baton to Incase is a testament to this dynamic world.

It’s worth mentioning that Microsoft has chosen to discontinue their line of Microsoft-labeled devices such as keyboards, mice, and webcams. This decision aligns with their larger strategy to concentrate more on the Surface brand.

This year, it was announced that Incase would carry on producing the well-loved Microsoft-branded accessories, but under a new brand – Incase by Microsoft.

For context, Incase is affiliated with Onwards Brands, a company specializing in PC hardware accessories. Details regarding the availability of the Incase Designed by Microsoft branded products remained slim.

Initially, Incase planned to release their new products during the second quarter of 2024, as mentioned earlier by Beta News. But now, it appears that the release has been delayed until the fourth quarter, without providing a specific date for the launch.

Incase’s product lineup comprises 23 items, such as the Bluetooth Ergonomic Mouse, the Contemporary Wireless Mouse, and others. Additionally, it will encompass an ergonomic keyboard that was being developed before Microsoft stopped manufacturing their branded accessories.

Onwards Brands CEO, Charlie Tebele promised:

“Instead of referring to them as Microsoft products, we’ll call them Incase products, which are actually designed by Microsoft.”

If necessary, Microsoft will grant licenses for their designs, allowing us to utilize the same manufacturing elements and logistics networks for our products. However, it’s worth noting that Microsoft retains ownership of the designs associated with their branded accessories.

Microsoft will no longer focus on creating Microsoft-labeled accessories, but instead will carry on with the production of accessories, just under the Surface brand. This shift raises some concerns as Surface-branded accessories have been known to be more expensive than their Microsoft counterparts.

2024-09-03 12:09

Incase will unearth Microsoft-branded accessories from the Microsoft Graveyard in Q4 2024: “The products will be the same, but instead of saying Microsoft they’ll say Incase, designed by Microsoft”

What you need to know

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