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The Microsoft Surface Duo was first revealed at a launch event that Microsoft held back in October 2019, but since then, the company have been rather quiet about this device. The conversations in the tech industry have since been taken over by new releases from other manufacturers, and of course, the impact that COVID-19 has had by cancelling various events and delaying the launches of new models. Some time has passed, and now rumours are finally starting to emerge about what we can expect from the Surface Duo when it gets released at the end of the year.
The Surface Duo is an Android device that comes with two 5.6-inch AMOLED screens with FHD+ resolutions, that are attached to each other by the hinge, can open outwards like a book and can be folded all the way round. It will also have the Microsoft 365 platform running on a version of Windows called Windows 10X, meaning that you will be able to integrate it with your PC, making it easier to transfer files between devices. There is also going to be a fingerprint reader, as well as support for a Microsoft stylus.
Photo credit: XDA Developers
This is Microsoft’s first foray into the dual-screen phone market, and this new technology could be useful for consumers seeking to do multiple activities at once on their phones. Dual screens have become the norm in office spaces in recent years, and they could become the norm for mobile phones as well.
The Surface Duo is expected to have a single 11MP camera sensor above the device’s display, which can be used for both selfies and front facing photos.
In terms of other hardware, it will have a Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 256GB of storage. You may have noticed that the processor is not Qualcomm’s latest one (the 865), and the reason for this is that Qualcomm require the inclusion of a separate 5G chip for devices with the 865 processor, which there is not room for in this device. This phone will therefore not support 5G, if this is something that you were hoping for.
The Surface Duo is also reported to run on Android 10 initially but will allegedly update to Android 11 in a short period of time, so you will eventually get the latest version. It is also rumoured to have a USB-C port, but no options for wireless charging, which is another disappointment.
Photo credit: Tom's Guide
In terms of the rumours regarding the battery life, this is where the Surface Duo gets even more disappointing. The battery is rumoured to be 3,460mAh, which is less than impressive considering that other folding phones like the Huawei Mate Xs come with a colossal 4,500 mAh battery, and standard flagships like the Samsung S20 have a 4,000mAh battery. A 3,460mAh battery is so feeble that we doubt it will keep this device powered for a whole day, especially when you take the dual-screen feature into account, requiring more power than a single screen. We will have to wait and see what the device is like when it is finally announced at the end of the year, but our expectations are low for the time being.
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