Incase, a company that previously focused on products for the Apple market, will now relaunch its Microsoft accessories portfolio. Microsoft will only name the new devices, so we may see some differences in quality and reliability.
Incase and Microsoft unveiled their new partnership earlier this year. Now, the design company has announced that it will officially launch the new products in the fourth quarter of 2024, providing a new combination of "well-known" PC accessories that users have known (and probably loved) for years.
The official press release stated that Onward Brands, Incase’s parent company, has obtained the licensing rights and related intellectual property rights for Microsoft’s entire accessory portfolio. The company will produce the required accessories in-house, sell the final product under the Incase brand, and have the "Designed by Microsoft" logo printed on the case.
Incase will launch a range of well-known Microsoft accessories, including keyboards and mice, webcams, headphones and speakers. Some highlights of the new product line include the Sculpt ergonomic keyboard, Modern mobile mouse, Wireless Desktop 850 and Modern webcam. The company will also debut a new ergonomic keyboard under the Designed by Microsoft brand.
According to OnwardBrands CEO Charlie Tebele, Incase can draw on Microsoft's 30-year legacy in the PC peripherals business while adding its own style and design expertise. The fan-favorite device will be back on shelves this year under the Incase brand, with a transition period set to end in a few months.
Microsoft also said it's "pleased" to be working with Incase to bring its peripherals back to market, as customers clearly still love the products. However, the Redmond company didn't explain why it decided to discontinue what seemed to be a popular product line in the first place. In 2023, Microsoft chose to abandon the "classic" series of personal computer peripherals and instead focus on the high-cost Surface brand.
The demise of Microsoft's "official peripheral" marks the end of an era that began in 1983 when the company sold the first IBM PC mouse. Incase has now vowed to infuse its "unparalleled performance" and good design practices into Microsoft accessories, so we'll just have to wait and see if the final product maintains its original quality.