Android-based Microsoft Surface Duo is reportedly still coming this year
When the chief product officer of Microsoft Devices group Panos Panay recently blogged that dual-screen devices running Windows 10x aren’t ready for the market yet, it raised speculations about the Surface Duo as well.
While Panay was clearly hinting at the laptop-tablet hybrid Surface Neo that was announced last year, his silence on the Surface Duo made many wondered if it has been delayed too.
The Surface Duo is more of a smartphone, which can be unfolded into a tablet. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X, it relies on a hinge to support two displays.
According to Android Authority, the Surface Duo is still very much on track for a 2020 release. The publication also hints that the release date will be revealed sometime in the near future.
Although Panay’s blog post has all but confirmed that the Surface Neo is not coming this year, Android Authority has also independently verified the news from its source and found it to be true.
It was previously reported that the coronavirus outbreak is behind this decision.
The version that Microsoft showed last year has two 5.6-inches screens which can be unfolded into an 8.3-inches display. It has a 360-degree hinge, which means the device can be folded over fully.
Technical specifications are largely unknown, but last year’s variant was driven by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC and ran Android 9 Pie.
The company has also promised a world-class camera.
If Microsoft indeed sticks to its original plans, the Surface Duo should arrive in time for the holiday season. In fact, some reports claim that it will be launched even earlier. Hopefully, the software is ready for showtime, as this certainly wasn’t the case back in February when it clearly had issues.
Price is not known yet, but it will likely be steep. And given that the economy isn’t really in great shape because of the pandemic, the timing isn’t really ripe for a pricey, experimental device.
While Panay was clearly hinting at the laptop-tablet hybrid Surface Neo that was announced last year, his silence on the Surface Duo made many wondered if it has been delayed too.
The Surface Duo is more of a smartphone, which can be unfolded into a tablet. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X, it relies on a hinge to support two displays.
According to Android Authority, the Surface Duo is still very much on track for a 2020 release. The publication also hints that the release date will be revealed sometime in the near future.
Although Panay’s blog post has all but confirmed that the Surface Neo is not coming this year, Android Authority has also independently verified the news from its source and found it to be true.
It was previously reported that the coronavirus outbreak is behind this decision.
Hardware specifications of the Surface Duo largely remain under wraps
The version that Microsoft showed last year has two 5.6-inches screens which can be unfolded into an 8.3-inches display. It has a 360-degree hinge, which means the device can be folded over fully.
Technical specifications are largely unknown, but last year’s variant was driven by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC and ran Android 9 Pie.
The company has also promised a world-class camera.
If Microsoft indeed sticks to its original plans, the Surface Duo should arrive in time for the holiday season. In fact, some reports claim that it will be launched even earlier. Hopefully, the software is ready for showtime, as this certainly wasn’t the case back in February when it clearly had issues.
Price is not known yet, but it will likely be steep. And given that the economy isn’t really in great shape because of the pandemic, the timing isn’t really ripe for a pricey, experimental device.
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