Microsoft’s interesting foldable, the Surface Duo could be slated for a market release much earlier than expected. The computer giant announced the product in October 2019, detailing it would be ready for retail for the 2020 holiday season; however, Microsoft may now be putting the finishing touches on custom Android software to facilitate an earlier release.
Microsoft could have the Surface Duo software finished by April so the device can go on sale sometime during the summer, according to Windows Central. The device could potentially be relaunched in the Spring with some of Microsoft’s other rumored products, including the Surface Go 2 and the Surface Book 3.
It is not lost on pundits that as interesting as Microsoft’s non-smartphone foldable may be, it has quickly fallen behind the current technology. With more foldable options coming from different brands and more smartphones releasing to market 5G ready, the Surface Duo could be at a disadvantage due to having “outdated” components. The device features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chip but does not have a modem to enable 5G. Other hardware includes 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage for its base model but higher capacity models are expected.
Meanwhile, other brands are releasing similarly designed, hinged foldable devices that are actually considered smartphones. LG recently announced its V60 ThinQ 5G, which as its name implies is 5G ready thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip. The device also has unique, design specific software features that allow users to span content across its attachment screen, to use either display as a home screen, or to use the display attachment as a keyboard or controller for gaming. The device also comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage standard.
The Surface Duo is being marketed more as a productivity product with Microsoft’s services suite as the highlight software. Though the device can make phone calls, it is essentially a mini Android computer, which gives it an odd proposition in the market. Perhaps it would blend in better with the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 foldable PC but that product will be specifically marketed to the enterprise, while the Surface Duo is slated as a consumer product.
Microsoft announced the Surface Neo dual-screen tablet alongside the Surface Duo. This device, which runs Windows 10X, appears to be still on track for a late-year release.
