After months of waiting and teasers, Microsoft has finally launched the Surface Duo for the general public. As we all know, Surface Duo is a dual-screen smartphone powered by Google's Android operating system, although Microsoft likes to call it a communications device.
The company said in a blog post that Surface Duo would start shipping starting September 10, available for $ 1,399. The device falls into the top price point, but that was expected given the form factor and novelty it brings to the saturated smartphone ecosystem.
Surface Duo's launch comes just days after Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold 2 - its third foldable smartphone to hit the market.
Surface Duo Specifications
Dual-screen devices are now hailed as the flagship of modern multitasking. That said, the Surface Duo comes with two 5.6-inch panels that combine to form its 8.1-inch PixelSense Fusion display.
The two panels are connected via a 360 hinge which allows the device to sit in different orientations. It goes without saying that each screen works individually or together to get the most out of the dual screen device. For example, you might want to check your emails and get a daily dose of memes at the same time.
Under the hood, the Surface Duo packs the Snapdragon 855, which was Qualcomm's flagship SoC in 2019. Other specs are also good, if not nothing fancy. However, Microsoft has been working on the device for years and knows that software is just as important as hardware.
That's why Redmond started grooming the software front years ago and even hired third-party experts to do some of the groundwork. Microsoft already has its fleet of Android applications and is counting on the integration of Microsoft 365 to give the Surface Duo a prominent place in the market. By adding productivity benefits to the Surface Duo, it expects to attract business users.
Moreover, with the cloud-based Windows virtual desktop, Microsoft will provide the traditional Windows operating system experience on its Android device. Another major weapon in the Surface Duo's arsenal is the Your Phone app, designed to bridge the gap between Windows and Android.
However, many of its features are currently limited to Samsung devices. Hopefully Surface Duo will be an exception.
Apart from that, Microsoft claims Surface Duo has enterprise-grade security that it has achieved "by writing or reviewing every line of firmware code internally."
Nonetheless, Microsoft re-entered the smartphone market after the Windows Phone debacle; let's see how the company behaves this time.
Surface Duo will ship starting September 10, and pre-orders will begin soon. However, its initial offering will be limited to US markets only, which could disappoint potential buyers overseas.
via Windows Central
