Microsoft announced in April 2023 that it would discontinue all Microsoft-labeled accessories in favor of its Surface brand. While Microsoft offers some accessories under the Surface brand, it is offering a limited range of accessories only.

Products like Microsoft's Ergonomic Keyboard, webcams or joysticks are not available under the Surface brand.

Incase, a company known for its laptop and phone accessories, announced today that it entered into a strategic partnership with Microsoft to relaunch the company's PC accessories in 2024.

The devices will be offered under the Incase Designed by Microsoft brand. Incase promises that the name change will be the only difference that users will notice.

Incase will use the same supply chain and manufacturing components as Microsoft, which guarantees, according to Incase, that the products will have the same quality and functionality as Microsoft's original accessories.

A page on the Incase website lists the first products that Incase plans to release in 2024. This includes several ergonomic keyboards, mice, headsets and a webcam.

Core Microsoft accessories, including several ergonomic keyboards, like the Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard, as well as mice will live on under the new brand.

Here is the full list of products that will soon launch under the Incase Designed by Microsoft brand:

Keyboards

• Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop
• Sculpt Comfort Desktop
• Wireless Comfort Desktop 5050 AES
• Wireless Desktop 850
• Wireless Desktop 900
• Wired Desktop 600
• Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard
• Ergonomic Keyboard
• Wired Keyboard 600
• Bluetooth Keyboard
• Designer Compact Keyboard
• Bluetooth Number Pad

Mice

• Mobile Mouse 1850
• Bluetooth Ergonomic Mouse
• Bluetooth Mouse
• Sculpt Ergonomic Mouse
• Modern Mobile Mouse

Other devices

• Modern Wireless Headset
• Modern USB Headset
• Modern USB-C Headset
• Modern USB-C Speaker
• Audio Dock
• Modern Webcam

The products will launch later in 2024. Incase has yet to announce the regions that it will sell the products in or the price the products will be sold for.

Incase plans to launch new products under the designed by Microsoft brand as well. This will include products that Microsoft had in its pipeline but did not release after it announced the discontinuation of the products.

The very first product will be a new ergonomic keyboard according to Onward Brands CEO Charlie Tebele. Onward Brands is Incase's parent company.

As far as the deal is concerned, Incase is licensing the designs from Microsoft. Neither party disclosed terms of the deal at this point.

Closing Words

The company has never produced PC products such as keyboards or mice before, and the move gives it a significant push when entering the market. Some products need to evolve over time and it remains to be seen how Incase handles these cases.

Microsoft did reveal the Surface key recently, which Incase might want to add to the keyboard products in the long run.

Incase may already look beyond the initial range of products and start producing its own accessories. Whether these will also be launched under the "designed by Microsoft" brand remains to be seen.

Now You: have you used Microsoft accessories in the past?