The Microsoft Surface hardware event has something of a surprise offering-- the Surface Duo, a foldable dual-screen device running on Android the company insists is not, in fact, a phone.
The Surface Duo is just one foldable device from Microsoft, with the other being the Surface Neo, a tablet-size number running on an "expression" of Windows 10 dubbed Windows 10X. However the Surface Duo is arguably the more interesting of the two, what with it being smaller and featuring Android as OS, surprising considering it comes from the company behind, well, Windows.
Described as "the first Surface to fit in your pocket," the Surface Duo has two 5.6-inch glass displays one can open into an 8.3-inch screen. Holding the displays together is a 360-degree hinge allowing for a variety of use modes. Such construction differentiates the Surface Duo from the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Fold or Huawei Mate X, which feature a single flexible display, and possibly makes for a more durable device.
Inside the Surface Duo is more smartphone-level technology in the shape of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor. It also has just one camera above the display, with the idea being one folds the device in order to shoot photos. Meanwhile the version of Android in use is the result of a partnership with Google in dual-screen devices, further cementing the fact Microsoft has given up on mobile versions of Windows.
Microsoft says the Surface Duo is still a work in progress, and as such will only hit the market on the 2020 holiday season. As such we will have to wait to confirm whether it will be more or less effective than other devices taking on the dual-screen form factor.