Surface Duo update improves the camera, kills bugs dead, and more

Do you own the Microsoft Surface Duo? This is the dual screened Android-powered handset that features two 5.6-inch AMOLED displays sporting a resolution of 1350 x 1800. With its ground-breaking hinge opening to 180-degrees, the screens create an 8.1-inch tablet-sized display with an 1800 x 2700 resolution. While it doesn't come in the box, Surface Duo owners can purchase the Surface Slim Pen, Surface Pen or the Surface Hub 2 Pen in order to write on the screens..

According to Windows Central, an update is rolling out for the Surface Duo that weighs in at 137MB. The update will include the November 5th Android security patch. While the update for the unlocked variant of the phone has started rolling out, carrier-locked models will receive it in a few days. Besides the security update, there will be some other improvements made to the device along with the extermination of some bugs. The update will refine some of the image quality of the 11MP camera. It also will improve the moving and dismissing of apps when they are spanned across the two screens. Previously, users complained that apps were taking too long to open and expand on the two panels; additionally, when swiping apps across the two panels some were crashing while others were freezing. The update also improves touch stability and device stability.

The Surface Duo has been characterized by Microsoft as a productivity tool and it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform which is one generation old. It is equipped with 6GB of memory along with 128GB or 256GB of storage. The phone features an 11MP camera while the dual battery delivers 3577mAh of capacity; an 18W charger is included in the box.

You can check to see if the update has hit your Surface Duo by making sure that the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. On the handset's home screen go to Settings > System Update > Check for update > Restart now.

Speaking about updates, the Surface Duo launched with Android 10 installed and during the summer there was talk about Microsoft updating the device to Android 11. This was supposed to happen shortly after the Surface Duo's release. It has now been about two months since the release of the dual-screened phone and so far there has been no sign of Android 11.

There is some more exciting information for the Surface Duo. Back in September, Microsoft launched its Sketch 360 app for the dual screened device before pulling it; now, the app is once again available for Surface Duo users. It is a Microsoft Garage Project which means that it comes from a unit of the software giant that takes ideas and turns them into real projects. Sketch 360 creates 360 degree panoramic sketches. The app can be installed from the Google Play Store and Microsoft says, "Whether you are an architect, a VR designer, an urban sketcher, a 3D game designer or a 360 video producer, you can easily construct an accurate sketch from a single viewpoint that's easily shareable online using Sketch 360. Draw on one pane using equirectangular grid and stencils as guides. The stencils help you draw the vertical and curved horizontal lines that end up looking straight when seen in 360. As you sketch on the drawing pane, the sketch is projected onto the inside of a sphere with you at the center, rotating the 360 view to point at the latest sketch stroke. You can also use the tilt and rotation of your device to determine the gaze of a virtual window pane.

Works great with multi-screen devices and devices that support pressure-sensitive pens like the Microsoft Surface Duo. Export these images as viewable as 360 degree photos on sites like Facebook.com, Adobe Lightroom, Kuula.co or apps like VR Media Player."