The chances of a foldable Surface Phone (or indeed any smartphone) being released in the near future by Microsoft are virtually zero. However, we do know a folding Surface device is in the works. Numerous patents showcasing various technologies have emerged around the product, some more likely than others.
The latest information surrounding Microsoft’s device can be filed under dubious but certainly not impossible considering the source. Forbes reports data from market research giant HIS Markit that suggests the folding Surface will allow users to run Android apps as well as Windows 10.
While it is surprising Microsoft would embrace Android to this extent, there is some logic behind such a decision. Much of what we know about the folding Surface suggests it will bridge a gap between Smartphones and laptops.
Microsoft has the PC platform side of things down with Windows 10. However, since the demise of Windows Phone, there is no mobile solution for the company. While mooted Andromeda OS will help to allow Windows 10 to run on a smaller form factor, it may not be able to address the app gap out of the gate.
By allowing Android apps to run on the device, Microsoft will open the folding Surface to smartphone users who many be interested in the form factor.
Speaking of that form factor, the report points to a device that will have a pair of 9-inch displays. Both screens come with a 4:3 aspect ratio. As a folding device, users will be able to manipulate the Surface into different sizes and forms. Other specs including always-on connectivity, an Intel 10nm Lakefield chipset, and Microsoft’s Windows Core platform.
Not a Phone
As has become very clear in recent years, the folding Surface will not be the much-anticipated Surface Phone. In fact, that device seems dead in the water as Microsoft has abandoned its mobile platform and hardware ambitions.
Last week, a Microsoft executive confirmed the Lumia McLaren was a real device and discussed some of the core features behind the smartphone.
Last Updated on April 9, 2020 12:06 pm CEST by Luke Jones
