Surface Phone: Microsoft’s Folding Game-Changer Might Run Andromeda OS, And Some Apps Are Now Supporting It
Interestingly enough, Microsoft’s mysterious Surface Phone is starting to make waves in the mobile community once more. While the past year has seen the death of Windows 10 Mobile, recent leaks and patents seem to suggest that the Redmond-based tech giant is not giving up on the smartphone industry just yet. As exhibited by recent rumors, Microsoft might be creating a device that has the potential to definitively change the mobile tech landscape — the Surface Phone.
Recent patents have pointed to the idea that Microsoft is creating a powerful, compact, foldable device that could function as a smartphone, tablet, and a mini laptop computer. According to the recently uncovered patents, the unnamed device would likely utilize a special hinge to enable the machine to transform from one design to another. Coupled with stylus support and a new, feature-rich OS, the powerhouse machine could definitely be a game-changer, especially in the business market.
In fact, as noted in a previous report from the Inquisitr, the yet-to-be-named device, which might very well be the long-rumored Surface Phone, could end up killing the tablet industry. The mobile device, after all, could accomplish tasks that the larger devices are designed to do in a more compact, more powerful package. After all, unlike the mobile operating systems that powerhouse tablets like the Google Pixel C and the Apple iPad Pro utilize, Microsoft’s upcoming Surface device might very well provide the full Windows 10 experience to its users.
Just recently, reports have emerged stating that Microsoft is ramping up its efforts with regards to the app support for Andromeda OS, the highly anticipated hybrid version of Windows 10 for mobile devices. As noted in a Windows Central report, a new platform category for the Microsoft Store has appeared, taking its place beside PC, Xbox, HoloLens, and other existing Windows platforms. The new OS, which uses the numbers 8828080 as a placeholder, could very well be referring to the upcoming Andromeda OS.
Windows Store apps show up with support for Surface Phone #surfacephone https://t.co/kDezcbTf1t pic.twitter.com/Nvputggj4O
— Windows Phone Area (@WinPhoneArea) December 29, 2017
Andromeda OS, which is also referred to as OneCore OS, is a specialized version of the Windows 10 operating system that can run on new devices, such as the folding Surface device that emerged in recent patents, as noted in a Windows Phone Area report. Considering that app support for Andromeda OS is already expanding, it seems pretty safe to speculate that Microsoft is already laying the groundwork for the upcoming release of the Surface Phone, its comeback device to the mobile industry.
After all, one of the things that really killed off Windows 10 Mobile is its lack of app support. Microsoft’s last flagship devices, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, were excellent smartphones hardware-wise, but they were inherently flawed when it came to app support. Thus, if Microsoft could ensure that Andromeda OS has enough app support, the upcoming Surface Phone has a pretty good fighting chance in the highly competitive mobile industry.
