Alleged Microsoft Surface Phone renders emerge from China (UPDATE)

An unannounced Microsoft smartphone with the Surface Phone branding has just popped up in China. The pictures showing the alleged Surface Phone have been published on Weibo, the Chinese alternative to Facebook, by a well-known leakster.

Even so, we can't tell whether or not the phone appearing in these images is same Surface Phone that's been rumored for many years. Photos of the said device have been leaked many times before, but this is the first time the phone shown wears the Surface Phone brand.

It's worth noting that the leaked pictures come at a time when sources in the supply chain claim Microsoft has already contracted Pegatron as the only ODM for production of the Surface Phone.

While it's clear that Microsoft hasn't yet given up completely on the smartphone business, the Redmond is trying to change its strategy, and the Surface Phone is likely to be the first step.

The official unveil of the Surface Phone is still far and away, as previous reports point to a late 2017 reveal, but we wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft pushed the launch of the phone into 2018. Well, if these pictures are showing a real prototype of the Surface Phone, at least we now know what to expect from Microsoft.