Surface Phone: Microsoft’s Killer Mobile Device Might Be Coming Soon, Just Not In The Way Fans Expected
The Surface Phone has been rumored for years, and with the death of Windows Mobile, it almost seemed like Microsoft’s highly-anticipated-yet-never-confirmed smartphone will never see the light of day. Thanks to a new report, however, it seems like the Redmond-based tech giant is actually working on its killer mobile device — it just won’t be anything as simple as the first concepts of the Surface Phone.
Various rumors have emerged about the Surface Phone over the years, with speculations pointing to the device having a premium Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, up to 8GB-16GB of RAM and tons of storage. The recent leaks did not confirm any of these specs, but its contents are incredibly interesting nonetheless.
According to a recent Windows Central report, sources have stated that Microsoft is actively working on a prototype Andromeda device. The portable machine is quite unique, in the way that it could be folded into a smartphone-sized device and folded out into a notebook-like configuration. Interestingly, the Andromeda device will be equipped with full telephony capabilities.
Thus, for all intents and purposes, Microsoft’s newest Surface device might very well be a hybrid, transformable machine that doubles as a phone. While Andromeda might seem more like an updated iteration of the Microsoft Courier than a refined version of the Surface Phone concept, the device nonetheless echoes the statement of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella when he described the tech giant’s future contender in the smartphone sphere as the ultimate mobile device.
Purported leak says #MicrosoftAndromeda/#SurfacePhone will come with a #holographic display: https://t.co/byos6gatMH
— Liam Kane-Grade (@lkanegrade) November 2, 2017
Foldable devices, after all, are likely going to be introduced by the world’s most prominent smartphone manufacturers in the near future, with Samsung working on the Galaxy X and Apple possibly exploring a foldable concept for its iPhone line as well. These concepts, however, are devices that are still smartphones at their core.
Microsoft, however, seems to be going for a far different angle with its Andromeda device. For one, the Redmond-based tech giant seems to be designing the machine’s features around productivity and note-taking, not on standard smartphone fare. Thus, as noted in a LaptopMag report, the upcoming foldable device would be more like a “digital pocket notebook” with call and text features.
Overall, it is difficult not to be excited about Microsoft’s Andromeda project. If any, the foldable hybrid seems to be the actual incarnation of the company’s long-rumored Surface Phone, a machine that has captured the interest of smartphone enthusiasts for years. Microsoft seems to have taken its time, but it seems like the tech giant is finally preparing to re-enter the mobile sphere in a way that is well thought-out.
Microsoft’s foldable Surface could be a reborn Courier #surfacecourier #surfacejournal #surfacepocket #surfacephone https://t.co/basgrFowwQ pic.twitter.com/53S8x6V7ad
— Windows Phone Area (@WinPhoneArea) October 27, 2017
The release date for Andromeda remains unknown, though speculations are high that the hybrid device would be released sometime around 2018.
[Featured Image by ymgerman/Shutterstock]
