Microsoft Announces Surface Duo - An Android Dual-Screen Device
by Andrei Frumusanu on October 2, 2019 12:15 PM EST- Posted in
- Mobile
- Microsoft
- Surface Duo
Today at Microsoft’s Surface event in New York, alongside new laptops and various other Surface devices, we saw the company announce a new kind of device; the new “Surface Duo”. The new device more or less loosely described as a phone, is a clamshell dual-screen phone with a full swivel hinge design.
The design of the phone at the moment look relatively simplistic, but we were certainly shown just prototype devices. The interesting design aspect was that the device lacked any kind of external features aside from the Windows logo – particularly missing from the device was any kind of rear camera.
On the “inside” – or rather more aptly, on the side with the screens, we did see the device have an earpiece speaker as well as a camera. It’s possible Microsoft where is envisaging you using this single camera in all scenarios and would be relatively practical given you can use the opposing outwards facing screen as the viewfinder.
The screens themselves has two 5.6” screens which when unfolded amount to a diagonal of 8.3”.
The device is running a customized version of Android as the OS.
Currently the prototype devices are said to be running Android 9 Pie with a Snapdragon 855 SoC – although these specifications are sure to change until the device’s actual launch.
Much like the Surface Neo, this has been pretty much just a teaser pre-announcement of the Duo as the devices aren’t scheduled to come out until the holiday season in 2020.
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gijames1225 - Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - link
I would totally buy a Microsoft Android phone. This looks far more robust than most phones, and I've already switch to using Microsoft's launcher and app suite on Android anyway.Curious to know when we can get some more details about the Ryzen for Surface processor announced. It's a strong vote of confidence in the chip that they're putting it in the new 15in workhorse laptop.
Gemuk - Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - link
Weren't they supposed to be 1) 3750U: 3700U with the full 11CUs enabled and 2) 3550U: 3500U with 9CU?Gemuk - Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - link
Ah, they seem to be named 3780U and 3580U insteadgijames1225 - Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - link
That makes a lot of sense. I'm more curious because reviews for the 3xxx series Ryzen mobile chips are scarce, even more so for premium devices. I'm interested to see how these stack up to the Intel offerings.d0x360 - Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - link
Yea I would too and hopefully they forked Android and ripped out googles tracking nonsense..I mean if they don't it's ok because I use adguard and that blocks It all anyways but I'd rather it not be there.I also like the concept of the phone I just hope they use a nice powerful SOC and like 12 gigs of fast ram
mkozakewich - Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - link
No chance of that. Their PCs still come with 4 GB to start.boozed - Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - link
...and replace it with their own tracking nonsense?PeachNCream - Thursday, October 3, 2019 - link
You're pretty much boned by some gleeful creeper no matter what you do these days. Either Google is stalking you or Microsoft is mining your crap or any of a bunch of other competing companies are salivating over getting their filthy mitts on anything they can about you in order. It might all be in the name of selling pointless sh!t to you for now, but as that data lingers on for years, who knows what else will happen to it. I pity the dumb sheep that are buying up voice-activated, internet connected junk like Nest or Alexa in the name of not having to get their lazy butts off the recliner to adjust things manually.name99 - Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - link
But will it come with- removable battery
- headphone jack
- SD card slot
?
I've been reliably informed by the Internet that if it doesn't have at least those three items, it's an automatic won't-buy by the entire world population...
name99 - Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - link
Oh god, I also forgot the mandatory fingerprint reader, not this new-fangled camera ID crap!