Microsoft Surface Phone In Line To Challenge Samsung Galaxy S8 And iPhone 8
Rumors about Microsoft expanding its Surface line with a smartphone/mini computer continue to grow. According to Trusted Reviews, a recently-granted Microsoft patent reveals a new type of mobile device that switches between tablet and smartphone modes using folded hinges. The website explains why Microsoft’s new smartphone is still a risky business venture.
“Microsoft has had very limited success with mobile, struggling to acquire any meaningful amount of market share. With titans like Apple and Google currently dominating the industry, Microsoft is under immense pressure to crack mobile successfully,” says columnist Sean Keach.
The article adds that the Surface Phone will probably be the last roll of the dice for Microsoft since recent smartphones like the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL weren’t able to carry Microsoft to glory.
“Unfortunately, the Surface Phone will probably be the last roll of the dice for Microsoft. Despite the company making much of Windows 10 Mobile, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL weren’t able to carry Microsoft to mobile glory. Now, Microsoft needs to launch a perfect phone that can convert already invested iOS and Android users to Windows.”
Besides the foldable design, Gizmodo India says that the Surface Phone may offer new display technology.
“Microsoft could be looking towards dual 5.7-inch OLED screens where the second screen could be swapped completely as a full-sized keyboard, and when not in use, can double up as a secondary display for reading eBooks or playing games or consuming video content.”
The article adds that the device is also expected to rock Qualcomm’s latest flagship hardware, the recently announced Snapdragon 835 chipset. There could be three different configurations: One with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage, one with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage, and the highest configuration with 8GB RAM and 512GB storage.
The Surface Phone is expected to run on a desktop operating system, Windows 10. That could give it the advantage over other phones, but it could also hurt it. Small mobile devices that ran Windows in the 2000s, such as the Ultra-Mobile PC series, failed.
If people don’t want a desktop operating system on their mobile device, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the iPhone 8 may just be the way to go. The Galaxy S8, according to Tech Radar will be a huge treat.
“Likely highlights include a 4K screen, a Snapdragon 830 processor, 6GB of RAM and a massively improved camera. There’s even a chance that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will have an iris scanner or a foldable screen, though the latter is somewhat less likely.”
The article adds that there could be two different versions of the S8, and both will come with curved screens. One could be a 5.7-inch regular version, and the other, the one that would have the 4K screen, will be 6.1 inches. The S8 could also have a 30MP dual-lens rear camera, an 8MP front camera, and a 4200mAh battery.
Then, there is the upcoming iPhone 8. According to 9to5Mac, we may see 4.7-inch to 5.8-inch curved OLED displays, an all-glass design with new colors, wireless charging, an embedded (into the screen) home button, and something that has to do with augmented reality. Nobody knows for sure how Apple will incorporate augmented reality into its new iPhone, but Apple has filed several augmented reality patents recently.
The year 2017 is definitely shaping up to the biggest in smartphone innovation this decade. Which phone are you most excited about — the Surface Phone, the Galaxy S8, or the iPhone 8? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
[Featured Image by George Frey/Getty Images]
