HomeWinBuzzer NewsMicrosoft Kills off the Surface Duo in Favor of Folding Single-Display Phone

Microsoft Kills off the Surface Duo in Favor of Folding Single-Display Phone

Microsoft will not launch the Surface Duo 3 in 2023, and is instead focusing on a true folding screen single-display smartphone.

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Microsoft's Surface Duo hardware won't get a trilogy after-all. Microsoft has pulled the plug on the dual-screen phone after two generations. However, fans may not be left in the dark for long, with Microsoft reportedly ready to replace the Duo with a single-screen folding smartphone.

Back in August, Microsoft tightened its relationship with Samsung, by backing the full Office suite into the Galaxy Z Fold 4. This was a major blow to the future of the Surface Duo and all but condemned Microsoft's smartphone.

Surface Duo is a dual-screen Android smartphone that folds into a book shape. It is innovative, beautifully designed, and interesting. However, it also does not meet its obvious potential. Buggy software and a lack of support for the two screens have halted the Duo.

Reviews were tepid, with most praising the hardware and lamenting the overall experience. Microsoft improved the device for the Surface Duo 2, but there were still glaring issues. So while it is disappointing, it makes plenty of sense that Microsoft is ditching the device.

This goes into the category of failed Microsoft hardware products alongside devices such as Zune and the Microsoft Band. It also slots into the category of failed mobile hardware following the company's ill-fated Lumia adventure.

Folding Future

However, a report from Windows Central suggests Microsoft is not abandoning Surface Phone entirely. The company has scrapped plans to launch the Surface Duo 3 later this year and will ship a single-screen device with a folding display. It is unclear is this will be a flip-style foldable or (more likely) a book style folding phone like the Z Fold 4.

Tip of the day: Whether it's for a presentation, song, or YouTube video, at some point in your life you'll need to record audio from your computer. Windows 11 has multiple options to record sound due to its litany of apps. In our tutorial, we show you how to record audio using the built-in Windows 10 Voice Recorder and the freeware audio editor Audacity.

Luke Jones
Luke Jones
Luke has been writing about Microsoft and the wider tech industry for over 10 years. With a degree in creative and professional writing, Luke looks for the interesting spin when covering AI, Windows, Xbox, and more.

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