Microsoft surprised onlookers with a pair of new dual-screen hardware devices it’s planning to release next holiday: The Surface Neo laptop and the Duo smartphone, which runs Google’s Android operating system rather than Microsoft Windows.
The announcements came at the end of Microsoft’s annual hardware event, where it also introduced refreshed versions of its Surface tablets and laptops, and a new Surface that runs a Qualcomm low-powered chip based on a design from ARM — similar to those found in Apple’s iPad and most smartphones — rather than the Intel-based processors that traditionally run Windows PCs. It’s the third time Microsoft has unveiled an ARM-based tablet, but its past efforts failed at the market because they could not efficiently run traditional Windows apps.
“With the Surface we focused on three distinct ambitions,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said. “We wanted to put people at the center of every device experience. We wanted to innovate across form and function, especially with a focus on how we can drive the next level of creation and productivity. That led to the first Surface Pro 2-in-1. Today we will share the next chapter of this journey,” Nadella said. “We believe the next decade will be about creation and amplifying what we can do as humans.”
Microsoft’s event follows a flurry of hardware announcements from rivals like Apple, Amazon, and Samsung. The launches allow the companies to get their products out in front of consumers before the upcoming holiday shopping season.
Here’s a rundown of everything that was announced:
The big surprise: Microsoft Surface Duo phone
The biggest surprise was a small smartphone that can run two apps on two different screens. It’s called the Microsoft Surface Duo and runs Android, and will be available in the 2020 holiday season.
It’s the first return for Microsoft to the mobile space since it abandoned Windows Phone years ago. “Make no mistake, this product is a Surface,” said Microsoft product chief Panos Panay, “because of how productive you can be on it. We know, scientifically, that you will be more productive on two screens.”
It has a 360-degree hinge, two 5.6-inch displays and can completely fold up when you’re not using it.
“We’re partnering with Google to bring the absolute best of Android into one product,” Panay said, noting it will support all Android apps. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which also folds, a hinge runs down the middle, which should prevent damage, since there’s not a single screen across the entire inside.
