Surface Phone?

If you look at what Ms did with Surface Pro, eventually they evolved to offering a traditional laptop by way of the Surface Laptop. Do you think there is a market for a regular Surface Phone, following design queues from the Duo as far as build quality and thinness but addressing some of the oddities of Duo? Do you think that would be a successful Android flagship and would they ever release something like that?

Conversation 12 comments

  • navarac

    12 September, 2020 - 3:24 am

    <p>Looking at the Duo's standards (no 5G, no wireless charging etc) I wouldn't touch a Surface phone. Personally I'll be sticking to Samsung for the foreseeable future. </p>

  • peterc

    Premium Member
    12 September, 2020 - 4:54 am

    <p>Why would anyone, especially Microsoft, get involved in the narrow margin high volume business bun-fight that is low, mid and high end android handsets? Theres gazillions of them out there already at every price point. Apart from a Microsoft logo i'm not exactly sure what anyone brand can bring to that market place that isn't there already. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The only business segment where Microsoft could enter a single screen handset business is in cloud gaming…. but why manufacture an xbox handset with all the cost/risk when you could achieve the same core business goal by partnering with other handset makers etc.</span></p><p><br></p><p>The Duo is attempting to bring android handsets into Microsofts domain of strength, the productivity and MS 365 play. Dual screens open up that market.</p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">All the major brands are preparing or releasing their take on a dual screen/foldable devices. </span>Its going to be up to long in the tooth Windows users and MS365 users to decide if they wish to use a Microsoft mobile productivity handset or not. It appears MS have given the "push" a 3 year timeframe to have a go…. we shall see where this ends up. </p><p><br></p><p>My concern for MS is much of their core windows user segment is hardly welcoming and is resistant to any change ……. the other core client base is very MS 365 based and realises that you can use just about any device (apple?) as long as it can access MS365…. </p><p><br></p>

  • frank_costanza

    12 September, 2020 - 8:24 am

    <p>If MS can find a productivity niche for such a device AND if they think no other vendor is adequately filling that niche, then I could see it happening.</p><p><br></p><p>Seems to me a Samsung device with Windows integration does a decent job already. What more could they add that would make such a product successful?</p>

    • Travis

      12 September, 2020 - 10:22 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#573772">In reply to frank_costanza:</a></em></blockquote><p>I hear you and it sounds like what Microsoft has said in the past about entering new categories, then they released a regular old laptop which went against everything they had said and it became my favorite laptop. That is why I think there is potential for a phone. </p>

      • peterc

        Premium Member
        12 September, 2020 - 12:42 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#573833">In reply to Travis:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yes but surely in that case, MS would launch an 8” always connected android tablet, A surface mini re-vamp as it might be viewed, large enough and cheap enough for android productivity needs, utilising split screen features instead of the folding hinge etc. </p><p><br></p><p>one point of note though, they don’t sell many laptops…. surface pros yes, but not the other form factors.</p>

      • hrlngrv

        Premium Member
        14 September, 2020 - 7:23 pm

        <p><a href="https://www.thurrott.com/forums/microsoft/mobile/thread/surface-phone-4#573833&quot; target="_blank"><em>In reply to Travis:</em></a></p><p>The Surface laptops are the only quasi-major option with 3:2 aspect ratio, excluding high-end Chromebooks. In that sense, MSFT has a niche which OEMs aren't threatening.</p><p>What unique hardware features would Surface phones have?</p>

  • rob_segal

    Premium Member
    12 September, 2020 - 12:44 pm

    <p>I'm not sure there is room for another typical Android phone maker. Google hasn't been able to gain traction with Pixel. LG is not making waves. If the restrictions against Huawei are lifted, they become a top global Android phone again. Samsung is well-established to say the least. OnePlus is growing. I don't think there is room for Microsoft in the single-screen Android phone market. Duo is unique. They need to improve that. </p>

  • kingbuzzo

    14 September, 2020 - 1:31 pm

    <p>I would buy a one-handed device that was pocket-able – especially if they somehow defanged Gooble from Android – just dreaming I know…</p>

  • hrlngrv

    Premium Member
    14 September, 2020 - 7:17 pm

    <p>The notion of the <strong><em>Surface Phone</em></strong> is becoming the kid brother of the <strong><em>Year of Desktop Linux</em></strong>. Figure they both have about the same odds of ever happening.</p>

    • kingbuzzo

      15 September, 2020 - 10:03 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#574890">In reply to hrlngrv:</a></em></blockquote><p>The critics haven't exactly been kind to the Duo so you are likely correct. This can only work in my favor as I don't want to pay 1400US for a giant device-that-is-phone-but-not-a-phone…lol</p>

  • romerob

    15 September, 2020 - 2:09 am

    <p>I think they'll push Duo name and maybe will have it in phone size.</p>

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