Microsoft's Surface phone efforts are long dead, but a patent newly discovered by Windows Central has revealed that the company has continued to explore the form factor since the Surface Duo line was scrapped in 2023. We already know that a third-generation device was going to pivot to a folding screen, and now we know more about the new hinge that would've accompanied it.

According to this new patent, Microsoft was exploring a "spring-loaded" hinge design that would have made opening the device easier with one hand. A common complaint with folding phones today is that it's difficult to pry open the two halves when closed, whether that be because of the flat edges of the device or the strength of the magnets.

It seems Microsoft was aware of this problem, and engineered a solution that included a button that when pressed, would push open the two halves of the device slightly for you, making it easier to open the device with your fingers or thumbs.

The patent details two potential implementations of this spring-loaded hinge. One design places the spring release buton on the spine of the device, whereas the other places it in the power button. My sources say that some Surface Duo 3 prototypes included a two-stage power button that when pressed all the way, initiated the spring loaded hinge. So it's clear the company was exploring multiple iterations of this design.

The patent application reads:

"One example can include a first portion and a second portion that are rotatably secured through a range of rotation from an open orientation to a closed orientation. This example can also include a selective isolation assembly configured to convert rotational torque associated with rotating the first and second portions toward the closed orientation to a compressive force that compresses a spring. The selective isolation assembly is configured to disconnect the first and second portions and the compressed spring as the first and second portions approach the closed orientation."

Microsoft's pivot to a folding screen design happened in 2022 after the company decided that dual-screen wasn't appealing well to the market. With the pivot, I understand that the company knew that it would need to differentiate a folding screen smartphone from the competition somehow, and the spring-loaded hinge design was one way of doing that.

I'm told the folding Surface phone was codenamed Neon, and would have been the successor to the Surface Duo 2 had it ever shipped. It was targeting a 2023 or 2024 launch window, but that never happened after the company pulled back on spending and cut the Surface portfolio down to just the bare essentials.

It's hard to tell, but I believe this patent was filed in 2024, so a year after the Surface Duo line was scrapped. This is likely a remnant from before the product line was scrapped, and isn't an indication that the company is once again exploring phones.

With that said, I am still of the belief that an Android-powered Microsoft phone makes a lot of sense, though at this point nobody should give them the chance if they did ever decide to try again. Not after Windows Phone, and not after Surface Duo.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

In 2018, Microsoft canceled plans to ship a new Windows-based OS designed from the ground up for a new dual-screen phone form factor, codenamed Andromeda. This special version of Windows would have been a continuation of Windows Phone, but it unfortunately never saw the light of day.

The phone itself ended up shipping as Surface Duo, but when it launched it was running Android instead of Windows. To this day, we've never really had a chance experience this mythical dual-screen version of Windows Phone for ourselves, that is until now.

Released just a few days ago, developer Gustave Monce has painstakingly ported over a recently leaked build of Andromeda OS to the Surface Duo, and packaged it into an easy to install FFU file that you can flash onto your device using his own flashing utility. This build is said to be from after the project was canceled, meaning it's still unfinished, but is our best look yet at what the company was working on before it was abandoned.

I've detailed Microsoft's plans for Andromeda OS countless times in the past, but now I get to experience it for myself on a real dual-screen device, and it's very unique. Microsoft was planning to really embrace the idea of a digital pocket notebook with Andromeda, complete with a home screen that's actually a digital notebook that's always ready for you to take notes on.

The OS exists above the notebook, with things like the Start menu and Cortana being accessible with gestures swiping from either the left or right edge of the screen. By default, apps open on the left but can be dragged over to the right display, and multitasking is automatic with apps moving over when necessary.

It's so fascinating to see the Start menu with Live Tiles on a Surface Duo, especially when you consider the fact that this was the original plan for Microsoft's dual-screen phone. Windows in your pocket, running modern UWP apps on a unique and modern OS that was designed to continue Microsoft's Windows phone ambitions.

Unfortunately, the build of Andromeda OS that runs on Surface Duo is very buggy, mainly because Andromeda OS was never finished. Monce says that he's working to address some issues such as postures and sleep not functioning as intended, but general stability and UI bugs are unlikely to be addressable.

If you want to try out this leaked build of Andromeda OS on your Surface Duo, be warned that installing it will wipe your Android data in the process. You can set up a dual-boot scenario, but it will remove all your user data.

This isn't Monce's first time venturing into porting Windows onto the Surface Duo either. He was the main developer behind bringing Windows 10 and Windows 11 to Surface Duo, as well as Microsoft's other canceled dual-screen version of Windows, known as Windows 10X.

With Andromeda OS now out there in the wild, we can finally close the book on this chapter of Microsoft, Windows Phone, and Surface's history. Between 2016 and 2018, there was an effort to push Windows Phone into a new category. It's such a shame it never saw the light of day.

It's been rumored for eons at this point, but Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone looks to be all but confirmed to launch sometime next year, and thanks to recent leaks, we already know the rough shape, size and feature set of the hardware. For my fellow Surface Duo brothers and sisters, it's good news.

While the iPhone Fold won't utilize the Surface Duo's excellent dual-screen form factor, it will take on a similar shape and size. The Surface Duo was famously short and wide, compared to most other smartphones (including foldables) which are narrow and tall.

This shorter and wider shape made for an incredible typing experience on Surface Duo. It also gave apps more space, and made it easy to reach the top of the screen without the device feeling small. At no point did the OS or software ever feel cramped, even with its 5.6-inch screens, and that's because of how short but wide they were.

If the rumors are true, the upcoming iPhone Fold will be 5.5-inches on the outside, and 7.8-inches on the inside. The Surface Duo had almost the same dimensions, which tells me the iPhone Fold is going to try and offer a widescreen foldable display on the inside, which is perfect.

Most foldable phones today offer the foldable screen in an almost 1:1 aspect ratio, which kind of sucks for both productivity and media consumption. Other than the Surface Duo, the only other foldable I've used that didn't do this was the original Google Pixel Fold, which had a widescreen foldable display and made using it as a tablet so good.

A widescreen aspect ratio for the foldable display is important for a number of reasons. It makes multitasking with two apps side by side much more comfortable, as the apps have more room to show content. It also makes watching videos better, as there's less letterboxing compared to the 1:1 aspect ratio of most foldables.

The Surface Duo was the best multitasking phone I've ever used, and that's because the two 5.6-inch displays were treated like a single display that let you share content across them. It makes running two apps side by side super easy and enjoyable, and I'm hoping the same is the case on the iPhone Fold.

It's not hard to assume the iPhone Fold will run some kind of iOS and iPadOS hybrid, letting you run more than one app at a time on the folding screen just like an iPad Mini. An iPhone that's capable of transforming into an iPad Mini is honestly the dream device, and I'm here for it.

Other rumored specs of the iPhone Fold include touch ID instead of Face ID, which is also another similarity to the Surface Duo. Apple is expected to put a fingerprint reader into the power button, just like on the Surface Duo 2. This makes authenticating into the device when both opened or closed easy.

It's also expected to have the largest battery ever fitted to an iPhone, and a creaseless display, which would be a first for the foldable category. While the Surface Duo didn't have a crease, it did have a gap between the displays. Of course, Apple's folding phone is rumored to cost a lot of money, somewhere north of $2,000.

Ever since Microsoft killed the Surface Duo, I've been on the hunt for a device that matches that aesthetic and form factor as closely as possible. So far, the only other device that even came close was the original Google Pixel Fold, featuring a similar shorter and wider aspect ratio that made multitasking easy.

The upcoming iPhone Fold looks to be the closest to the Surface Duo yet. It will be almost the exact same shape and size, with the only difference being the internal screen is one foldable display instead of two glass panels. While I would prefer two displays like on the Duo, I can settle for one foldable display if the software does enough to make using both halves of it easy.

So, it's not an exact replica, but it's close enough. Its rumored shape and size alone makes me incredibly excited. What are your thoughts on Apple's rumored folding iPhone? Let us know in the comments.

Black Friday 2025 - quick links

• All our TOP recommended Black Friday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Black Friday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Black Friday deals:
• Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that you shouldn't miss
• Best Buy: 34 hottest discounts on laptops, monitors, gaming, and more
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

Five years ago today, Microsoft began shipping its infamous Surface Duo to customers that had pre-ordered it in the United States. It was Microsoft's big return to the smartphone market, with a design and form factor that was supposed to set the stage for a new category of devices that featured dual-screens.

Unfortunately, the Surface Duo was immediately met with criticism from reviewers and early adopters, most of which found the device to be incredibly buggy on the software side. The hardware was also mixed bag, with a beautiful premium design, marred by questionable choices around cameras, silicon, and connectivity.

What really didn't help was the price — $1,400 for an experimental device from a company that has a track record for abandoning hardware that can fit in your pocket was a huge ask, and it was one that most people couldn't commit to. That meant Surface Duo was already on the backfoot, fighting an uphill battle for marketshare and revenue.

It didn't take long for Microsoft to realize that Surface Duo was not going to be the hit they wanted it to be. The product was essentially broken at launch and needed more time in the oven to get the software into a state where it wasn't degrading the overall user experience.

This took way longer than it should have, with updates coming at a slow pace of only once a month. Microsoft failed to communicate with its customer base too, which made it feel like the device had already been abandoned by the company. To this day, Microsoft has never acknowledged that the Surface Duo was buggy.

Instead, it opted to release bug fixes at a leisurely pace without giving anyone any insight as to when said bugs would be addressed. This lack of communication and marketing was Surface Duo's ultimate downfall. It was a device that desperately needed an Insider Program so that Microsoft could remain in communication with the people using it.

Throughout 2021, Microsoft would slash the price of Surface Duo, which did encourage more people to buy and try it out. By the summer of 2021, most of the big software issues has been addressed, though some were never fully fixed and are still an issue even to this day.

The biggest problem that was never fully addressed was touch responsiveness. The original Surface Duo had a terrible touch response issue, to the point where typing fast on it was almost impossible. This was improved over time, but it never got to a point where it was comparable to other smartphones on the market.

Other issues were just hardware dependant, the 60Hz displays felt slow in comparison, the single camera was really not very good, and the lack of 5G and NFC just meant the device was not fit to be used as a daily driver for most people. For a lot of people, Surface Duo became a companion device to their main phone.

Obviously, this wasn't good enough for Microsoft. It was making a phone afterall, and so it would address most of the hardware issues that were a problem on the first-generation with the Surface Duo 2, which launched a year later in October 2021. It had a full camera array, larger battery, 5G connectivity and NFC, and better 90Hz displays.

Surface Duo 2 was an all-round amazing product, and its software was in an exponentially better state compared to the original Surface Duo at launch. However, for many, it was too little too late. Surface Duo 2 sold worse than the first Surface Duo, and even though it was an overall better product, many people had already decided that dual-screen wasn't for them.

Catastrophically, the terrible launch of Surface Duo likely tainted and killed the entire product category. Had Surface Duo been received well and sold in higher numbers, we'd likely have the Surface Neo today. But the poor response to Surface Duo, and the lacklustre sales of Surface Duo 2, almost certainly pushed Microsoft to cancel all future dual-screen hardware plans.

Five years on, it's crazy to think that Microsoft were so open about how it truly believed a new category of hardware was coming in the form of dual-screen devices. The Surface Duo and Surface Neo were supposed to be just the start, but the company tripped at the first hurdle and failed to recover.

The saddest part about all of this? Microsoft was right about dual-screens. A dual-screen smartphone makes a ton more sense than a folding screen one, if only because Android to this day kind of sucks on tablets. Surface Duo made multitasking automatic, with apps opening in dedicated screens and making it feel like you had more space to work with compared to a single folding screen.

Today, Microsoft is once again out of the smartphone market. There are currently no plans to make any more Microsoft or Surface-branded smartphones, likely because the company knows that there's no way anyone would trust them again with a smartphone of any kind. Lumia and Surface Duo ended up with the same fate. A third attempt is undeserved.

It's a widely known secret that Surface Duo started life as a Windows Phone, and thanks to new images, we finally have our best look yet at the now scrapped hardware and software that Microsoft was originally working on back in 2017.

Codenamed Andromeda, this dual-screen device was supposed to set the stage for a new era of Windows phones. It ran a custom version of the OS built from the ground up for this new form factor, but the project was unfortunately scrapped in 2018 after a myriad of issues and delays.

Microsoft would later tweak the hardware and recycle it as an Android device, which became the Surface Duo we know today. But the original design and vision for Andromeda was quite a bit different.

Andromeda was designed as a digital pocket notebook that could also replace your phone. It prioritized inking and pen use, differentiating it from the rest of the smartphone market considerably.

Up until now, we haven't ever seen Andromeda running the version of Windows it was designed to. We've seen the Andromeda hardware before, and we've also seen the OS it was supposed to run, but never both at the same time. That has finally changed thanks to these new images.

The images were discovered in listings on Chinese commerce platform GooFish, and includes a whole bunch of prototype Andromeda hardware from 2017 and 2018. The devices are in various states of disrepair, but some of them are in working order and do run the special version of Windows that Microsoft scrapped.

These images give us a close look at the Andromeda hardware, and confirm a number of differences compared to the Surface Duo that shipped. Andromeda had a back camera system, built-in wireless charging for the Surface Slim Pen, and a metal frame that gave it a more premium feel.

The original Surface Duo omitted all of these things. It wouldn't get a back camera system until Surface Duo 2, wireless charging for the pen only arrived via a detachable cover accessory, and the device simply never got the more premium metal frame that its older Andromeda sibling had.

My sources say that the reason for this was weight. Microsoft wanted Surface Duo to be light, and one way to shed weight was by replacing the metal frame with a plastic one. Unfortunately, plastic isn't as strong, and on a device as thin as Surface Duo, that resulted in the USB-C port cracking over time.

Andromeda also had smaller hinges, which were enlarged on Surface Duo to make them stiffer. I also understand that some Andromeda hardware had a secondary monochrome camera sensor, which was designed to help scan 3D objects. At the time, Microsoft was on a 3D kick with HoloLens and the Windows 10 Creators Update.

Interestingly, the listings on GooFish also reveal an even earlier Andromeda prototype (seen in the gallery above) that was a different shape than Surface Duo. These earlier models are slightly narrower and taller, with a home button underneath the displays and a fabric-like material on the outer shell, giving it more of a journal aesthetic.

The version of Windows that Microsoft was developing for this hardware was also fascinating. It was built on Microsoft's new at the time Windows Core OS, and featured a universal shell that was purpose built for the dual-screen form factor.

The "home screen" was a digital journal that was always ready to ink on, letting the user jot down notes or create reminders, sticky notes, and more. Apps would run above the journal, accessed via the Start menu which could be opened by swiping from the left on the left display.

Cortana was both your digital assistant and notification center, accessed via a swipe from the right hand side of the right display. The lock screen was also a digital inking canvas, ready to be written or drawn on with the Surface Pen.

The Andromeda OS effort was never finalized, so we don't really know what the final product would have been like. It's rough in a lot of areas even towards the end of the project, but at least we now know the vision behind Andromeda and its OS.

I first wrote about the Andromeda project all the way back in 2017, after teasing its codename on Twitter in 2016. It was probably the most interesting Surface device I've ever followed the development of, and its story is still yet to be told in full.

Not many people realize that the death of this device was the death of Windows Phone. While Microsoft did begin winding down the Windows 10 Mobile platform in 2017, it was supposed to be replaced with Andromeda and Windows Core OS in 2018, but that's a story for another time.

For now, let's just enjoy this last look at Microsoft's infamous Andromeda project. Do you think Andromeda would have succeeded in its original form? Let us know in the comments.

Windows Phone is dead. You know it, I know it. Everyone knows it. As painful as it still is, the world has accepted a duopoly in mobile computing, revolving around iOS and Android.

Apple is the darling of the U.S. tech industry, and has enjoyed a privileged spot dominating the western phone landscape, but globally, things are a bit different. Google's Android platform is by far and away the most-used mobile OS, owing to the fact smartphone manufacturers of all shapes and sizes can tap into it. Apple iOS is for iPhone only, and they're not exactly the cheapest devices on Earth, giving Google's platform a significant global advantage, particularly in smaller economies. Europe and the far east also love their Android devices, with Samsung taking pole position in most markets outside of the United States. Its market share has faced headwinds though, with increased competition from Chinese home-grown high-quality solutions from companies like Huawei and Oppo.

In any case, Microsoft is nowhere to be seen among any of this. Save for a few barely-maintained Android apps, Microsoft has largely given up on all of its smartphone aspirations. I can't remember the last time the Microsoft Launcher on Android got a serious update save for a half-hearted Copilot integration, and the app has some major bugs on Samsung devices that have been unaddressed for years. SwiftKey was once the most-loved keyboard app, and now languishes largely abandoned. The Surface Duo 2 folding phone was also abandoned, never receiving the latest Android versions, and is now likely a security hazard to actually use.

Yet, having very little presence on mobile I would argue is a huge issue for Microsoft. And sure, Microsoft's early investment in OpenAI stands to generate revenue for the company effectively in perpetuity, even if it does nothing. But Microsoft's abandonment of the "mobile computing" endpoint has effectively given the keys to its future away to competitor companies. OpenAI, Apple, Google, and others are set to direct the ebb and flow of consumer AI, not Microsoft. Microsoft is also locked out of expanding its "Xbox everywhere" approach, with Apple and Google blocking Xbox Cloud Gaming.

RELATED: On the enormity of Microsoft's Windows Phone shutdown mistake

Hindsight is 20-20 of course. CEO Satya Nadella previously lamented Microsoft's hasty shut down of Windows Phone. Indeed, with no skin in the game, Microsoft has no capability to force the hand of competitors in shaping the future of mobile gaming, consumer AI, or consumer computing in general. They can't be the "default" app on a huge swath of endpoints, but perhaps there's an opportunity on the horizon that could change that.

Let's go crazy and indulge me in some thought experiments for a moment.

🔥The hottest Black Friday deals🔥

• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Ryzen Z1) | $349.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 💻Surface Pro 11 (X Plus) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $300!)
• 📺HP Curved Ultrawide (34-inches) | $299.99 at Best Buy (Save $180!)
• 💽WD_Black Xbox Series X|S Card (1TB) | $99.99 at Best Buy (Save $50!)
• 🖱️Razer Basilisk V3 Wired | $39.99 at Best Buy (Save $30!)
• 💽WD_BLACK M.2 2230 SSD (2TB) | $179.99 at Best Buy (Save $60!)

The DOJ might be creating the right conditions for an actually profitable Microsoft Android phone (maybe, possibly)

While this could all (very likely) amount to nothing, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is recommending "remedies" to unravel some of Google's monopolies, similarly to what happened to Microsoft in the late 90s with Internet Explorer. Some of you of a certain age might remember a period where Microsoft was forced to offer a browser choice screen when opening up Windows — ending Internet Explorer's run as the world's most popular web browser forever, and MSN's (now Bing's) viability as a search engine.

With Chrome rising to dominance with Google affixed as its default search engine, Microsoft and other companies were doomed to never find the query data necessary to build viable search algorithms. Now, the U.S. thinks that allowing Google to corner the browser market in tandem with its search engine monopoly might've been a bit of a bad idea. It has accused Google of abusing its search and ad monopoly to promote its own products and services, and has begun seeking "behavioral remedies" and other solutions to promote competing products.

Google is currently appealing the ruling, but the U.S. DOJ has already recommended that the company be forced to license its search data to rivals, end paid agreements that set Google as the default search engine (such as with Safari on iPhone), and also sell off its Chrome browser. Whether or not these remedies would actually help competition remains a contested topic, given that the DOJ would effectively be forcing everyone to hitch their wagon to Google's search engine data in order to even come close, which could ironically give Google even more control over search. Google currently controls 90%~ of that market, with Microsoft Bing, at number two, with a mere 5%~ based on some analyses. But we're not here to discuss search today, although it is part of the puzzle.

We've established that being unable to set itself as the "default" app on devices is preventing Microsoft from even getting its products in front of people. There's been a lot of contention about how Microsoft has been "forcing" Microsoft Edge as the default web browser on Windows 11 for some time, but simply allowing Google to control the entire internet doesn't exactly seem like a great alternative. (And hey, Microsoft Edge is pretty great these days, damnit).

Either way, this isn't about necessarily simply railing on Google (as fun as it is). People use Chrome because it's arguably the best. People use Google because it is also the best. The issue is that competing products aren't even given the vaguest opportunity to grow and offer something different. That's why Microsoft was forced to give up Internet Explorer's dominance in the first place. It was holding the internet back. Arguably, Google could also be holding the internet back, wiping entire businesses off the face of the Earth at a mere whim when it changes its algorithm without solid explanations. What if there were other, better ways to do search? We'd never know, simply because companies can't get the data they need to build a viable global search model. What would Bing look like if it actually had the data it needed in order to offer more accurate results? Bing generally performs well for easy searches, but stumbles when it comes to granular, detailed, or local search results.

In a world where Google might be forced to give its competitors a leg up, Microsoft might have the vaguest opportunity to compete not only in search, but perhaps even in mobile hardware. A huge part of Android's profitability framework is a result of the user data Google receives from Chrome and Google Play apps. And indeed, the DOJ was also at one point considering forcing Google to divest Android itself.

What if Android was truly open?

Google's Pixel smartphone line has increased in popularity over the years, although it remains quite small compared to the likes of Samsung. One advantage Google has here is that its hardware is subsidized to some degree, since it controls the Google Play Store where apps and games are delivered. Pixel phones thus can either undercut competitors, or enjoy better margins on software sales, and by wielding the search data monopolistically (allegedly). Samsung phones have the Galaxy Store, but it's not the default app store, and it's not really something people generally use.

Google forces companies using its version of Android to set all of Google's apps and services as the default out of the box. It's easy to switch them over of course, and you can effectively turn a Samsung Galaxy into a Microsoft Galaxy by switching to Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Launcher, Microsoft Authenticator, and so on, but it's not something 99% of users are likely to do.

The "behavioral remedies" the DOJ seeks to implement into Android pertain largely to search, although Google lost a similar case recently over its Google Play Store. Microsoft prematurely announced it would launch its own Android app / game store as a result of that ruling, which was almost immediately frozen as Google appeals it. Clearly Microsoft wants to be in mobile, it's just waiting for the right time.

The issue with building devices on Google's Android revolve around those pesky rules. Google takes 30% of all transactions that run through Google Play, and its "default app" status makes it the dominant place for developers to build services. It also has very anti-competitive rules baked into it. For example, Amazon can't sell books through its Kindle app on Google Play, despite the fact Google can sell books through Google Books on Google Play. Microsoft can't sell cloud games on the Xbox app on Android, despite the fact Google shut down its own cloud gaming service.

Apps like Twitch, Spotify, and many more are stifled by Google's "default app" monopoly on this platform, and this control it has extends to its search dominance. Google controls all the data that flows through those apps and services as well, helping inform it what ads to serve you as you roam around the internet.

The cut Google takes on Google Play, the licensing model it runs for Android, and the default apps clauses make it more difficult for Android manufacturers to compete in the space. Samsung has established itself as the dominant Android manufacturer, but its margins on smartphones are nowhere near as good as Apple's, because it has to pay Google in the middle. If you were a smaller company like OnePlus or a newcomer like Microsoft, you pretty much don't stand a chance without an absolutely gargantuan amount of investment, or some kind of killer innovation that upends the market. A more open Android could help improve the margins on building a "Surface Phone," where Microsoft would be free to set up its own apps and services as the default, sell Xbox cloud games directly, and perhaps even deliver Windows 365 and other services by default. As of right now, Google's control over Android would prevent that. Microsoft could build its own operating system again, but the ship has more than likely well and truly sailed on that possibility. The app gap would just be too absurd coming in so late, making Android the last, and only viable path towards returning to mobile.

Alas, 'tis but a dream

The DOJ says that if its Chrome divestiture and search licensing model isn't enough to promote competition, it reserves the right to seek a divestiture of Android itself. A more open Android either as part of behavioral remedies or a divestiture could give Microsoft one last, final chance to build a competing phone and thus, deliver its own apps and services as the default option. It would be the last, final chance it would have to meet consumers in their palms, rather than at their desks. It would be the only way to get consumers acquainted with things like Microsoft Copilot, and would be a strong endpoint for things like Microsoft Edge, Bing Search, and Xbox Cloud Gaming too. But, even if the DOJ did spin off Android, it's heavily unlikely to happen.

Microsoft's most passionate hardware innovator and phone enthusiast Panos Panay left the company for greener pastures, after Microsoft's interest in building its own hardware ecosystem dwindled. Microsoft is still building Surface tablet PCs, but they're nowhere near as popular as they once were a few years ago. The Surface Duo 3 was cancelled, and the Surface Neo tablet never even hit production.

The Surface Duo was an oddity whose elegant hardware didn't line-up with the operating system it was designed for. But what about a more traditional rectangle phone, designed from the ground up for Microsoft apps, with a Microsoft-first Android app store that gave developers a better cut than Google? A playground where Microsoft could innovate on actually useful AI solutions that require a device you can put in your pocket and have with you at any time, rather than the device that is tied to your desk? I don't see how Microsoft Copilot is ever going to find traction tied to desktops, when smartphones have so many more use cases attached for day to day tasks. But, I also don't see how today's Google-controlled Android would ever be a viable platform for Microsoft (or frankly anyone new) to attempt to build a smartphone on. Unless, unless it was fully cracked open by the United States regulatory powers.

But with a new election behind us and priorities shifting, this entire article is likely just an exercise in "what could've been" wistful Surface Phone fantasies. This is of course ignoring a mountain of other issues, like whether or not people would put their trust in Microsoft again after so many rug pulls ... but it's fun to dream, sometimes.

What do you think? Hit the comments, let's chat.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has issued what is believed to be the final security update for Surface Duo 2.
• The Surface Duo 2's support window will end on October 21, meaning no more support or updates are planned.
• Microsoft only ever delivered one major Android OS update for the $1,500 device.

The Surface Duo 2 has just received its likely final security update, marking an end to Microsoft’s brief return to the smartphone market. The company originally launched Surface Duo 2 in October 2021, and promised to support the product with software updates for three years. Microsoft was only able to deliver one major Android version update in that time, a pitiful number for a $1,500 device. 

Microsoft already dropped support for the original Surface Duo last year, but at least that device saw more than one major Android version update. Launching with Android 10, the original Surface Duo was updated to Android 11 and Android 12L during its lifecycle — still short of the usual three major OS updates most Android makers deliver but better than the Surface Duo 2, which launched with Android 11 and was only ever updated to Android 12L.

The company threw in the towel with Android phone hardware last year when it decided to cut back on the Surface device portfolio, leading to the departure of ex-Windows and Surface boss Panos Panay. Since then, Microsoft has brushed Surface Duo under the rug, and now the Surface Duo 2 has received its final security update ahead of the end of support date on October 21, meaning no more support is planned. 

And that marks the true end to Surface Duo. The product line is dead, and Microsoft has no intention of reviving it with future Android phone hardware. This is the second time that Microsoft has abandoned a phone business, the first time being with Windows Phone and Lumia in 2017.

If Microsoft ever attempts to launch a new phone in the future, I will be the first to tell you to steer well clear. Microsoft had a chance to redeem itself with the Surface Duo, and it failed miserably. Charging $1,500 for a phone that was only ever updated with a new version of Android once is inexcusable. Microsoft doesn’t deserve a third chance. 

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

• 💾Seagate Xbox Expansion Card (1TB) | $129.99 at Best Buy (Save $70!)
• 📺LG Curved OLED Monitor (32-inches) | $849.99 at Amazon (Save $675!)
• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) | $499.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 🔊2.1ch Soundbar for TVs & Monitors | $36.99 at Walmart (Save $63!)
• 💻Dell G16 Gaming Laptop (RTX 4070) | $1,299.99 at Dell (Save $450!)
• 📺LG C4 OLED 4K TV (42-inches) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 💻Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge (X Elite) | $799.99 at Best Buy (Save $550!)
• 💻Dell XPS 13 (X Elite) | $999.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 🎧Sennheiser Momentum 4 ANC | $219.95 at Amazon (Save $280!)
• 💻HP Envy 2-in-1 14 (Ryzen 7) | $649.99 at Best Buy (Save $400!)

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:

• Xbox controller deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Xbox SSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming headset deals: Walmart | Dell | Target | Best Buy | Amazon 
• MicroSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming handheld deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Copilot+ AI laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Mini PC deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming keyboard deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg 
• Gaming mice deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg

Huawei has just unveiled its long-teased "tri-fold" smartphone. It features two foldable apexes across a 10-inch display that can collapse down to just 6.4 inches, allowing that 10-inch panel to fit into your pocket. When collapsed, it utilizes a Z-shaped fold, meaning the screen bends into three "panels" and enables many different postures and use cases.

Of course, phone mode utilizes the front panel at 6.4 inches, which is what your average smartphone looks like. The second posture has just two panels, measuring around 7.9 inches, and matches your standard foldable phones today. The last posture utilizes all three panels for 10.2 inches of total screen real estate, something never before seen on a phone that can fit in your pocket.

I'm already in love with this form factor, but even if it didn't cost $2800 (yeah, you read that right), the device would only be available in China and with Huawei's custom HarmonyOS. Even if it ran stock Android, I still think there's a better OS out there for a device like this, and that OS is Windows.

10.2 inches is large enough to run Windows comfortably. The Surface Go 4 has a 10.5-inch display, and I love using it as an on-the-go Windows machine. Now, if I could fold the Surface Go into my pocket and use it as a phone, that would be the absolute dream.

Of course, this dream can't exist because Microsoft has killed all avenues to a viable mobile platform. Windows 11 is a desktop OS acceptable for a 10-inch device, but it doesn't scale much smaller than that. Windows 11 on an 8-inch device is tough and basically unusable at 6 inches.

And that doesn't even consider that Microsoft no longer has a mobile app platform. UWP is long dead, and app developers are now being encouraged to develop classic Win32 apps that utilize modern UI frameworks such as WinUI 3 instead.

If we rewind about 8 years, Windows 10 Mobile would have been the perfect platform for a device like this. With a beautiful, native mobile UI and platform paired with Continuum, it would blend beautifully across the three postures found on the Huawei Mate XT. You could have a full Windows desktop when you want it or an easy-to-use, touch-first Windows mobile UI when you don't.

It always seems to be the case, but Microsoft was well ahead of the game with Windows Phone. It was building out a platform that would have been well-positioned for these multi-postured devices. It even had CShell, which was literally designed from the ground up to allow the UI to adapt on the fly depending on screen size and form factor.

The problem with Android foldables currently is that many of the apps that run on them aren't optimized for the larger screen. Android does well in the mobile space, but it's a different ball game when it comes to tablet apps. This drawback is improving, but it's still not where I (and Google) would like it to be.

Had Windows Phone and UWP taken off, we'd be living in a very different world right now, where most Windows apps have a touch-first mobile interface and desktop-class interface that would adapt on the fly. I think foldable phones would have been Windows Phone's saving grace, as it was easily the best prepared for this new category of devices.

Sadly, Satya Nadella pulled the plug on Windows Phone too soon and ended support for the platform just as the first folding phones were announced. Even the Surface Duo, which launched with Android a few years later, was destined to fail under Microsoft's current leadership. That form factor was ripe to develop into something like the Mate XT over time, maybe even running a hybrid Android + Windows combo for the best of both worlds.

New innovations in the mobile and wearable space keep happening, but none of them are applicable to Microsoft because it decided to kill Windows Phone. This decision will hinder the company forever as more technology becomes mobile and wearable-focused.

At this point, I don't think there will ever be a folding device that I don't pick up and think, "Man, I wish I could run Windows on this thing."

Oh well.

What you need to know

• A new patent has revealed the design of Microsoft's now canceled next foldable phone.
• The device would have featured a folding screen, external cover display, and magnetic accessories.
• Codenamed Neon, this device was scrapped in spring 2023 after Microsoft cutback on experimental Surface hardware.

Back in January 2023, I reported that Microsoft had scrapped plans to ship a dual-screen Surface Duo 3 and had instead pivoted to a more traditional foldable phone design with an internal folding display and external cover screen. The device would have featured a 180-degree hinge, triple camera array on the back, and a taller aspect ratio.

The device was codenamed Neon but was also unfortunately scrapped once Microsoft cutback on experimental Surface form factors in spring 2023. It's unlikely we'll ever see Surface Neon ship now, but thanks to a newly discovered patent (via Patently Apple,) we can finally show you what the device would have looked like.

My sources say the device detailed in this patent is exactly what the next Surface folding phone would have looked like. We can see the back of the device featured a triple camera array positioned similarly to the iPhone's camera module. These lenses were placed to the left of a camera bump area that spanned the very top portion of the back of the phone.

The cover screen and inside foldable screen were edge-to-edge and featured in-display camera sensors for selfies and video calls. At the time, sources said the device would feature magnetic accessories that would attach to the back of the phone, and this patent details that exact aspect of the design.

Specifically, the patent outlines a kickstand accessory that would magnetically attach to the phone in different orientations depending on if you had the phone open or closed. It's a cool idea, and very similar to the Magsafe ecosystem that Apple has developed on the iPhone.

Sources also tell me the device would have featured a power button that could pop open the phone without having to pry the two halves apart with your fingers. This is a concept I first heard about when Andromeda was in development, and it would have been awesome to see it finally ship. 

Unfortunately, this patent is likely just an echo of a project that will never see the light of day. Microsoft has abandoned its Android smartphone efforts, with no plans to deliver any more major Android updates to its Surface Duo 2 smartphone that's still in an active support window.

Plus, even if Microsoft did have secret plans to launch a new phone, how would anyone be able to trust them after how it has handled the Surface Duo post launch?

What a wild week it's been for Microsoft and Windows news. Seemingly by coincidence, the biggest news stories of the week have a theme, crossing platforms. Sea of Thieves became was the most pre-ordered game on PlayStation, developers managed to get the Surface Duo to run Windows 11, and new EU law forced Microsoft to let people use non-Microsoft services on Windows. Toss in Windows 11 shoving an ad for Bing into Chrome, and you have a packed week of news. Oh, and did I mention the free version of Copilot got an upgrade as well?

EU helps fix Windows 11

Windows 11 just got a bit better, and you have the European Union (EU) to thank for it. The EU's new DMA regulations are designed to foster competition among companies, and Windows is one of the big players affected by the legislation. While some Microsoft products are exempt from the DMA regulation, the tech giant had to make several changes to Windows 11 to comply with the law.

Most notably, users in the European Economic Area can uninstall Microsoft Edge, disable Bing in Windows Search, and turn off the Microsoft News feed and ads in the Widgets Board on Windows 11. Why won't Microsoft just allow anyone to have the option to do so? I'll leave the to you to guess.

The changes made their way to PCs through the latest Windows 11 feature drop. That update also has some new features for Copilot and some other changes.

Sea of Thieves PS5 preorders

Some were unhappy when Microsoft announced that a handful of its Xbox console exclusives would ship to PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. It appears PlayStation owners aren't among those complaining. Sea of Thieves, which is among the first four Xbox console exclusives to make their way to other consoles, reached the top spot on the PlayStation preorder chart in the United States.

Microsoft already has several popular titles on PlayStation, including Minecraft, Minecraft Dungeons, and many Bethesda titles and Activision Blizzard games. But Sea of Thieves is a different beast, considering it was once Xbox console exclusive and is now on PlayStation.

Surface Duo lives on

Microsoft has essentially abandoned the Surface Duo lineup. Technically the Surface Duo 2 is still supported until later this year (the first one reached end of support last year), but Microsoft hasn't shipped a meaningful update to a Surface Duo in a while. That hasn't stopped third-party developers from having fun with the device, however. Gustave Monce led the charge to get Windows 11 to run on Surface Duo, and our Senior Editor Zac Bowden showed the technical marvel in a recent video.

Windows 11 looks surprisingly good on Surface Duo. Given that Surface Duo runs Android out of the box, there are some odd behaviors here and there. There are also some noteworthy limits, such as not being able to send text messages. This is more of a passion project than a way to get a device you can use daily.

The Surface Duo was originally supposed to run Windows, but Microsoft's leadership shifted plans late in the development of the device.

While Windows 11 on Surface Duo is a technical marvel, owners of a Surface Duo may be more interested in the work of Thai Nguyen, who made a custom Android 14 ROM for Surface Duo.

Bowden spoke with Monce and Nguyen, both of whom shared insight into the unique challenges of their respective projects.

Copilot gets an upgrade

The free version of Microsoft Copilot is now more accurate and powerful, thanks to an upgrade to GPT-4 Turbo. The tool previously used GPT-4, which has a much earlier cutoff date than GPT-4 Turbo. The older GPT-4 also has a smaller context window (8k vs. 128k). In layman's terms, GPT-4 Turbo is better in many cases and should result in an improve Copilot experience.

OpenAI explained the four main benefits of GPT-4 Turbo over other models:

• Context window (some models have as low as an 8k context window while some have an 128k context window)
• Knowledge cutoff (some models have been training on more up to date information which makes them better at certain tasks)
• Cost (the cost for models vary, our latest GPT-4 Turbo model is less expensive than previous GPT-4 model variants, you can learn more on our pricing page)
• Feature set (some models offer new features like JSON mode, reproducible outputs, parallel function calling, etc)
• Rate limits (different models have different rate limits, check out the limits page for more details on each models limits)

While newer is often better, sometimes old tech is best. If you prefer the GPT-4 model, it is still available, but using it requires a Copilot Pro license.

Reviews

Our team takes a close look at the latest games, gadgets, PCs, and accessories each week. Recently, our experts went hands-on with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, sat down and watched episode 6 of the Halo TV series' second season, and used a surprisingly good flight stick from Turtle Beach. Here are all of our recent reviews.

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro review — The king of all Xbox and PC gaming headsets
• Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: You don't need to spend crazy money to get the perfect high-end professional Windows drawing display
• Halo TV series Season 2, Episode 6 review: Tensions boil over into disaster
• I never expected Turtle Beach to build my new favorite flight stick but the VelocityOne Flightdeck is perfect
• ASUS upgrades to the latest Intel Core Ultra CPUs with its new ROG Zephyrus OLED gaming laptop and it's gorgeous
• Logitech's best wireless keyboard proves the MX Master mouse wasn't an anomaly, and even makes it better

Tech deals of the week

Some excellent laptops and convertibles are on sale at the moment, including the Surface Pro 9, Dell XPS 17, and Lenovo Yoga 9i. We also saw a discount on the Xbox Series X|S Seagate Storage Card (2TB) that's still going strong.

In addition to the deals below, make sure to check out our collection of the 7 best Xbox games under $10.

Microsoft’s dual-screen smartphone vision is long dead, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t right about the form factor. There are thousands of Surface Duo users out there who still believe dual-screen smartphones are the way forward, and I am one of them. I love my Surface Duo and am beyond gutted that Microsoft never stuck the landing with this product line.

I’m not the only one either, as in recent months, there’s been a significant push to keep the Surface Duo alive by any means necessary. Even though Microsoft has washed its hands with it, two talented developers have taken it upon themselves to keep the vision alive by bringing Windows 11 and Android 14 to it.

Windows on Arm for Surface Duo, developed by Gustave Monce, has been picking up steam over the last handful of months, and just recently released a new installation method which uses a custom built FFU tool to flash the Windows 11 image directly onto the Surface Duo, streamlining the install process.

Then there’s the custom Android 14 ROM for Surface Duo, developed by Thai Nguyen. This project aims to bring a relatively stock version of Android to the dual-screen Surface Duo, with a few tweaks to ensure the stock UI isn’t clashing with the gap between the two displays and is able to adapt to some of the Surface Duo’s postures.

I’ve had a chance to sit down and chat with both Monce and Nguyen about their latest projects, to find out what makes the Surface Duo so special, and learn more about the process of getting an OS to run on a device it was never intended for.

Bringing Windows to the Surface Duo

Monce has been working on bringing the full version of Windows to devices that aren’t supposed to run it for many years. He started on the Lumia WOA project, which successfully brought full Windows 10 to the Lumia 950 and 950 XL. Much of that expertise has carried over to the Surface Duo project.

“What we're doing is trying to make it run something a little bit more interesting and different, which is the full desktop operating system. There's a lot going on in this project, from firmware and driver development to servicing and even documentation and bug reporting. It's very big thing in general to do. “

Perhaps famously, Surface Duo was originally supposed to run Windows, but that effort was canceled late into development. The hardware was recycled as an Android device, but that hasn’t stopped Monce from dreaming about what the device would have been like with Windows.

“This was very fascinating at the time, and it obviously didn’t launch … all of this is missed opportunity with the canceled [Windows] operating system. That pushed me to look into essentially doing what didn't happen in the end and brought in Windows, and I think it's a really different experience when you do this, instead of just running Android with no changes at all made to it.”

Although Surface Duo was supposed to be a Windows device originally, that doesn’t mean it’s been easy porting Windows 11 to it. In fact, there have been quite a few challenges along the way.

“Pretty much all the technical challenges were a fun learning experience for me. During the first day we quickly realised that OK, the screens are not going to work … I tried to fight against it, trying to figure out why, and when you lack all the documentation for the device, it's complicated to figure out … It uses a Snapdragon 855, and that chip is not supported at all by Windows. So, I had to deal with many problems … we started two years ago, and we are not fully done yet. There's still a few things to figure out. It's not easy, but … I think in the end it's a fun experience and something new too.”

I’ve been running Windows on Surface Duo for the last handful of weeks, and I’ve found it to be quite eye-opening. It’s surprising just how cool it is to have a fully-fledged Windows PC that fits in your pocket. Monce and his team have done a lot of work to ensure basic device functionality like sleep, touch, and the buttons work as intended. But Monce says it’s not in a daily drivable state just yet.

“It's not really at a state where you can daily drive it because even though the Surface Duo is a device with rather large screens, even when deployed fully flat on a table, it remains a small device and the Windows desktop operating system is not really built to take advantage of these screens.”

It’s also worth noting some drivers aren’t fully working yet either, including sound and the camera. Monce says these will work in time, but it’s a question of when rather than if. The Windows UI really is the biggest issue this project faces, as the Windows desktop just isn’t designed for screens this small.

The Windows on Arm for Surface Duo project is available on Github, and you can install it right alongside Android if you wish to keep the ability to use your Surface Duo as a phone. Installing the project will wipe your Android install, however, so be warned.

Building a custom Android 14 ROM for Duo

Speaking of Android, ex-Microsoft developer Thai Nguyen has been working on his custom Android 14 ROM, which aims to bring Surface Duo up to date with the latest version of Android, all while maintaining support for some of the Duo’s unique postures and form factor. His love for ROMs began back in the Windows Mobile 5.0 days:

“I started tinkering with smartphones way back in 2006-2007 with the O2 XDA Orbit that was a running Windows Phone 5.0 … I was running ROMs on the HTC HD2 [which] shipped with Windows Mobile 6.5. And then it had Windows Phone 7 ported to it and then it had Android ported to it. So I've been tinkering with phones for a long time, but generally I did this thing because I really loved the Surface Duo.”

Microsoft actually did a lot of custom work to get Android to adapt to the Surface Duo’s dual-screen setup, which means it’s not easy to get a custom Android ROM up and running with all the basics working as you’d expect on Surface Duo. On its own, Android isn’t very good at supporting two screens simultaneously.

“I think that's also one of the reasons Microsoft decided to make it a big virtual screen that spans the two physical displays. The approach that Microsoft took here is great because it allows for smooth animations and certain UX/UI. But the problem with this approach is that it's a lot of effort to do window management."

This is one of the reasons why it took so long for Microsoft to bring new versions of Android to the Surface Duo, because with each new Android release, Microsoft needed to port its custom window management and UX work over to the latest version. Nguyen decided to streamline this process with his custom ROM.

“If you look at the Duo without the hinge, it's a big wide screen and if you fold it back into flip mode, that's the same as resizing the screen to a smaller one, the same way that you would fold the Huawei Mate X … Instead of doing what Microsoft did, which is when you fold the duo up, it moves all of that UI to one screen and then you leave the other screen blank. In my version, I just resize the logical screen to match one of the display panels … I put all of these in separate system service so that it's very separate it from Android itself, so that when we have a new version of Android, it's very easy to port it over.”

Android has basic native support for outward foldables, unlike the dual-screen setup that Surface Duo has, but the premise is the same. Folding the Surface Duo into single-screen mode is the same as folding an outward facing foldable screen into phone mode. But that doesn’t solve the Duo’s biggest strength: Multitasking.

“The ability to swipe apps to one side to split [the] screen. To swipe the app to the center to span the two screens. Android stock not having that is a great shame, so that's why I tried to add it back into Android, but because of the way that Android development is set up, it's very tedious and time consuming to iterate on gestures and animations. I do intend to work on that further, but I need to find time first.”

Even with all the hard work that has gone into the custom ROM so far, there’s still a few issues that are out of Nguyen’s control.

“A common problem for all custom ROMs is that most devices are now running on 4G and 5G networks and those are not usually not [fully] supported, because the part where you connect to the 4G and 5G networks are usually proprietary with modifications to the ROM to support that. I've seen some promising development on the open-source side to have all that telephony stuff working. But I think it will still be a while yet until we get that … as a secondary device to keep running and up to date [to] see what the new UX on Android looks like on the Duo, I think it's pretty usable.”

The custom Android 14 ROM for Surface Duo is available on Github, and can be installed by unlocking the bootloader and flashing the image. Nguyen says he intends to release an Android 15 ROM for the Surface Duo later this year.

What you need to know

• An ex-head of the Windows Phone Developer Experience at Microsoft has revealed why Microsoft pulled the plug on the devices.
• The developer pinpointed the lack of interest by carriers as the main reason that led to the "untimely demise" of Windows Phone.
• In an interview, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella disclosed that cutting support for the device was one of the hardest decisions he has ever made, citing that it was a "strategic mistake."

Killing off Windows Phone might be perhaps one of the hardest (and worst) decisions Microsoft has ever made to date. Even CEO Satya Nadella recently echoed these sentiments in an interview, citing that pulling the plug on Windows Phone was a "strategic mistake."

While the Windows Phone ship has seemingly sailed off completely, avid fans and users of the "futuristic" device like our Managing Editor, Jez Corden, or Senior Editor, Zac Bowden, who can't seem to let it go, never had real clarity (or even, humor me, "closure") on why Microsoft decided to pull the plug.

But now, a former head of the Windows Phone Developer Experience at Microsoft, Brandon Watson, has shed more light on the matter. The developer took to X (formerly Twitter) to provide a more detailed account and reasoning behind the move in a reply to The Verge's Tom Warren.

Per the post shared by the developer, the company was struggling to get carriers to feature the phones with the sales team. This, in turn, prompted Microsoft to buy Nokia (throwback,) but still, it was an "uphill battle" to gain the attention of the sales personnel who were more focused on the iOS hype. Consequently, this negatively impacted in-store sales.

Watson explains:

"They would focus on us for a week or two around a launch, and then we got pushed to the corner of the store. The go-to answer was always to point to the size of the app store, which is just a lazy answer. Unfortunately, the sales people in the carrier stores would default to that answer, and then that's game over."

"We had a lot of the major apps, but if you're missing that one core app that a salesperson used in the top 50, that ripple effect from that one salesperson was a really rough go. The combinatorial math got out of control when you consider the number of salespeople and the likelihood of one of their required top 50 apps not being on the Windows Phone platform."

Why did Windows Phone fail?

As far as I can tell, there's no one answer to this question. Windows Phone, in my opinion, was years ahead of its time, running fast and fluid on basic hardware compared to most Android phones at the time. It was also unique and could potentially subdue Apple's and Google's duopoly in the mobile scene if only Microsoft held on a little longer.

Google and Apple were more invested in mobile compared to Microsoft. As such, this made it harder for the company to compete on an even playing field. For this reason, users were more inclined toward Apple and Google devices.

Lack of developer support was also a major pressure point for Microsoft. Windows phones weren't as popular as other operating systems like Android and iOS. As such, developers focused more on these platforms due to their massive user bases. 

Will Windows Phone make a surprising comeback?

It's highly unlikely that Microsoft will reincarnate Windows Phone after pulling the plug on the project. Besides, if recent events are anything to go by, the chances of this happening are slim to none. In September, the company announced it was dropping official software support for the first-generation Surface Duo after just two Android firmware version updates.

For this reason, I'm sad to admit that I don't think Microsoft will bring back Windows Phone.

I've been following Windows Phone discussions on Reddit for quite some time now and stumbled on an interesting poll at the r/Windows subreddit asking users whether they'd like Microsoft to bring back Windows Phone. Surprisingly, out of the 1,936 votes, only 895 people want the phone to make a comeback.

Would you like to see Windows Phone make a comeback? Let me know in the comments.

What you need to know

• Google is shipping several features to its Google Workspace apps.
• The features are designed to make it easier to use these apps, including Gmail on tablets and foldable phones. 
• It's now possible to open a link or attachment on Gmail's native app side-by-side with an email on tablets and foldable phones.
• Opening YouTube or Google Doc links will directly to the corresponding app on the other half of the screen.

Google recently announced a host of features shipping to its Google Workspace apps. The new features will essentially make it easier to use easier to these platforms on tablets and foldable phones.

Foldable phones are quickly gaining popularity among users, mainly because of their functionality and multitasking capabilities. They also double up as great substitutes for PCs, especially when one is on the move. While the large-screen real estate on these devices is an added bonus, it may, at times, not provide the practicality that the user requires. 

The new features will help fix this issue, according to a spot by Android Central. For instance, it's now possible for Gmail users to open links or attachments side-by-side with an email. According to Google, once you click on an attachment or link, the screen on your tablet or foldable is automatically split into two. 

The split-screen view feature is essentially designed to boost productivity for users by allowing users to open and view links on the same app rather than redirecting them to a corresponding app. However, another report by 9to5Google indicates that YouTube and Google Docs links will launch in their corresponding apps.

It's reminiscent of Microsoft Edge's Split Screen feature

As you might already be aware, Microsoft's Chromium browser, Edge, ships with a similar feature dubbed Split Screen. It essentially serves the same purpose as the new feature in Gmail, only that it's browser-based. 

Recently, we've seen Microsoft ship a couple of neat functionalities to the feature, including the capability to drag and drop a tab to open it alongside another webpage and vertical layout.

Google also shipped a neat feature to Gmail users that allow them to respond to emails using emoji reactions. However, the downside to this addition is that it's exclusive to Gmail users. An attempt to use this feature while responding to an email from an Outlook user won't work. Instead, the emoji reaction is sent as a standard email.

What you need to know

• Microsoft shipped an update to the Surface Duo 2 this week.
• The update only includes security fixes, which continues a trend of updates without features for the Surface Duo 2.
• This is the first month that the original Surface Duo is out of support, meaning the phone did not receive a security update.

Microsoft rolled out a small update to the Surface Duo 2 this week. The update is only a security patch, making it hardly newsworthy on its own. What's perhaps more interesting is the fact that the original Surface Duo did not receive a security update. We knew that would be the case, since the Surface Duo is now out of support, but sometimes it's important to mark an occasion.

As for the update for the Surface Duo 2, it "Addresses scenarios outlined in the Android Security Bulletin – October 2023," according to Microsoft. The change log may not include many details, but it's important to keep devices patched against security threats. Microsoft releases updates in phases, so you may not see the October update for Surface Duo 2 just yet.

No more Surface Duo updates

The lack of an update for the original Surface Duo this month is not a surprise. October is just the first month since Microsoft dropped official software support for the first-generation Surface Duo. Microsoft promised three years of updates for the foldable phone that first shipped with Android 10. The company kept that promise, at least in terms of security updates.

The original Surface Duo eventually received an update to Android 12L, which was the second major OS update the phone received. Most high-end flagship phones get three major OS updates after launch, but Microsoft didn't go down that route for the Duo.

The original Surface Duo will continue to work, even without receiving updates. The issue is that the lack of security updates going forward will leave devices increasingly susceptible to attack as new bugs appear and are left unpatched.

Those with an original Surface Duo, or even a Surface Duo 2, may want to check out the unofficial Android 14 ROM for Surface Duo.

The unique selling point for foldable phones is the screen real estate. Microsoft's dual-screened Surface Duo comes to mind when speaking about this particular topic, but the company has seemingly "neglected" it and will only support the Surface Duo 2 till 2024. 

Luckily, other alternatives to this entry will continue to receive support and come with the same offerings (or even better) than the Surface Duo. A perfect example would be Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5, which ordinarily costs you $1,799 for the 265GB model. However, you can get it at a discounted price of $1,399 at Amazon. This translates to a 22% discount or a whopping $400 tipped off the scale. 

Right off the bat, Samsung pulled out all the stops with the massive 7.6-inch AMOLED display on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, thus making it the perfect multitasking companion. Not forgetting the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset under the hood, a significant bump compared to its predecessor. This makes it the perfect candidate for users who like gaming on their phones and predominantly handle work-related tasks on their phones. Don't worry; it won't heat up like the just-released iPhone 15.

It's worth noting that the Fold 5 also comes with a cover screen, facilitating more straightforward navigation when handling less screen real-estate-demanding tasks such as answering phone calls or responding to texts. Samsung has achieved these feats without compromising the phone's aesthetic appeal, as it's thinner, lighter, and sleeker.

The crease in the middle while using the phone in tablet mode is subtle. Samsung also promises a great user experience with 1750 nits of brightness on the Fold 5, which makes it easy to use outdoors without compromising on the vibrant and vivid colors displayed on the screen.

Samsung has also heavily invested in the entry's durability, which sports Gorilla Glass Victus 2 external protection and IPX8 water resistance. Unfortunately, the Galaxy Fold 5 doesn't support expandable memory via a microSD card slot, meaning your best bet would be getting one with more storage (up to 1TB). It also runs on Android 13, with a 120Hz refresh rate.

The 4400 mAh battery seems promising and will probably get you through the day on a single charge, depending on your usage. But if you manage to empty the tank, fast charging, Qi wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging to ensure you're covered and connected at all times.

Why I'd go for this deal

Aside from it being a solid phone that supports multitasking, the Fold 6 stacks 5 cameras in total. That's the wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto cameras at the back, then there's the two selfie cameras on the cover and main display. I'm big on photography, so this is a big win.

Here's the complete rundown of each camera's capability:

• main camera - 50MP
• ultra-wide camera - 12MP
• telephoto camera - 10MP
• cover display selfie camera - 10MP
• inner display selfie camera - 4MP

It's also worth mentioning that the foldable phone ships with an AI-powered image signal processing (ISP) feature designed to correct visual noise that negatively impacts images taken in poor lighting.

What you need to know

• Ex-Microsoft developer Thai Nguyen's Surface Duo-optimized version of Android 14 is available for download.
• Android 14 ROM ships with plenty of neat features, including an AOSP base with Google apps, Settings app icons from stock Surface Duo ROM, and more.
• You can also expect a lot of bugs while running this release on your device.
• The developer recommends Pixel Launcher for this build.
• Microsoft will no longer ship updates to the original Surface Duo, but the Surface Duo 2 will continue to receive support until 2024.

Microsoft hasn't shipped meaningful updates to the Surface Duo in the past few months. Last month, the company announced that it will no longer ship updates to the original Surface Duo, though the Surface Duo 2 will continue to receive updates until 2024. 

In hindsight, Microsoft believed that dual-screen devices were the future, but recent developments reflect a different reality, as the Surface Duo is seemingly dead. While the Surface Duo 2 is still supported, the chances of these updates shipping with any major changes are extremely slim. It's highly likely that the device will continue running on Android 12L, as Microsoft has remained silent on its plans to bring Android 13 or even Android 14 to the device anytime soon.

Luckily, there's still an alternative available that first or second-gen Surface Duo owners can explore. In May, Thai Nguyen, an ex-Microsoft developer, started experimenting with bringing stock Android 14 ROM to Surface Duo. The project seems to have morphed from its infancy and is now available for download.

It is worth noting that the Android 14 ROM is based on Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and ships with the following:

• AOSP base with Google apps
• Hinge Gap disable for Duo 2
• Settings app icons from stock Surface Duo ROM
• OTA enabled for future build

The ex-Microsoft developer also recommends Pixel Launcher for this build. It is worth noting that the experience might not be as smooth and seamless as you may hope. The developer stated that users should "expect a lot of bugs." With this in mind, you can head to GitHub and download Android 14 ROM for your Surface Duo.

During launch, the Surface Duo 2 shipped with Android 11 and has only received Android 12L as the only major OS update since. As our Senior Editor, Zac Bowden, highlighted, "Android 13 has been out for a year, and Android 14 is set to launch imminently." 

Google's new lineup of Pixel devices could be worth your while

Other than the aesthetic appeal, battery life, and other salient features, users often look at a device's longevity in terms of its durability and how long it will continue receiving updates. 

As it seems, Google has clocked and bridged this gap with its latest entries, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro that were recently launched. Aside from incorporating quality-of-life features in these devices, Google promised to support these devices for up to 7 years, bringing new features and security updates. Not forgetting that spare parts for these devices will be readily available. 

At the end of the day, you're better off placing your bet on a device that will be there for the long haul rather than living in uncertainty.

Do you think Microsoft's Surface Duo stands a fighting chance against competitors such as Google? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

On October 2, 2019, Microsoft held what was arguably the best Surface event it's ever put on. It was supposed to be a pinnacle moment for Windows and Surface, with the company willingly pulled back the curtain on products and plans that weren’t yet ready. It was at this event that Microsoft unveiled what it thought was the future of the PC space; dual-screen devices and Windows 10X.

The event started like any other, with a straight to the point unveiling of a new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro. Same design, new specs. Overall good products. Then things went up a notch with the unveiling of the Surface Pro X, which was Microsoft’s first Windows 10 on ARM and an interesting look at where the Surface Pro line was going with regard to design.

But it was the Surface Neo and Surface Duo unveiling that took the world by storm. After then EVP Panos Panay wrapped up his Surface Pro X talk, he paused and said this:

“Now I want to do something we’ve not done before. I want to take a few minutes with you, to talk a little bit about the future of our products.” With hindsight, perhaps Panay wasn’t so sure about talking about the future after all. “I have been debating how to do this, this is not my thing. How do we show you our products before they’re finished? … I was backstage with Satya and I told him I’m more nervous than normal.”

He then went on to state that the product he was about to talk about would be coming next year and compared it to what Surface Pro did for Windows 8 in 2012. “Today we want to introduce you to a new product that I believe is the next category.” Panay claims this device is built to be smaller, personal, yet fully productive.

We then get an incredibly polished look at the Surface Neo, and it looked fantastic. A dual-screen PC running a new version of Windows that’s faster, modern, lightweight, and more secure than any version of Windows before it. It’s unlike any other PC we’ve ever seen, and it’s coming next holiday. I was ecstatic.

There were a few curious statements made during the Surface Neo’s unveiling, including the fact that dual-screens makes you more productive. Panay claimed that Microsoft had “measured brains” to come to this conclusion. While many assumed Microsoft had opted for dual-screen because foldable screens weren’t ready yet, Panay’s talk implies dual-screen was chosen because it’s better for productivity.

After the Surface Neo was unveiled to the world, Panay ended his talk with a “thank you.” But as he began to walk off stage, he paused, turned around, and proclaimed “we’re not done.”

What?

As a member of that audience, I can’t tell you how intense the next few moments were. Nobody knew what was about to be unveiled. We had known for some time that Microsoft was working on a dual-screen phone, but rumors from about a year beforehand proclaimed the project was dead. Turns out, it wasn’t dead, it just switched operating systems… and that’s when Microsoft unveiled the Surface Duo.

I think, based on my tweets from this moment, you can tell I was excited. In fact, I think everyone was excited. It was a bold idea; Microsoft hardware design paired with Google’s Android software. It’s a Microsoft phone without an app gap… ideally, this should be the success story Microsoft has been waiting for, right?

This moment was probably the pinnacle of excitement for me in my career covering technology. I was all-in on Microsoft’s vision for the future of Surface and Windows. I was ready to be that guy with a dual-screen PC in my bag and dual-screen phone in my pocket. Roll on Holiday 2020.

Vaporware and failure

Things didn’t exactly go to plan, unfortunately. We all know it now, but the Surface Neo was a pipe dream; A product that Microsoft wasn’t actually able to build. The hardware was beautiful, but plagued with bad silicon that caused the device to overheat. It was also launching with an operating system that wasn’t ready, and needed at least another couple of years in the oven.

So in May 2020, just seven months after Surface Neo was unveiled to the world, Microsoft announced that the device was postponed and Windows 10X would be delayed. Curiously, Surface Duo was not delayed, and launched ahead of schedule on September 10, 2020.

Surface Duo was our first look at Microsoft’s vision for a productive smartphone. A dual-screen device running Android. On paper, why would this fail? As long as Microsoft nails the software experience, this device should be a hit? Well, unfortunately, Microsoft didn’t nail the software experience, not even close.

The Surface Duo famously launched with what might be the buggiest launch day software ever seen on an Android phone. The device barely worked as intended. I was a day one buyer, and I can admit that the software was rough. Many people returned theirs due to the software alone. Then there was the fact that Surface Duo was missing key smartphone features, like NFC for wireless payments, wireless charging, and a good camera.

These issues were addressed with Surface Duo 2, but the market had already made up its mind about a Microsoft-made dual-screen phone by then. Many reviewers panned the Surface Duo 2 for not being a true foldable, and this caused Microsoft to push on the brakes. I loved my Surface Duo 2, but the market seemingly didn’t want to pay such high prices for a phone that didn’t have a foldable screen.

Microsoft then fumbled supporting the device once it was on the market. Surface Duo launched on Android 10, and received just two major software updates before Microsoft dropped support for it. Surface Duo 2 launched with Android 11, and has only received Android 12L as a major OS update so far. Android 13 has been out for a year, and Android 14 is set to launch imminently.

So far, it looks like Microsoft has no plans to launch Android 13 or Android 14 for Surface Duo 2, which is wild and sets a distressing precedent for future Surface phone hardware. Microsoft’s inability to support Surface Duo with timely Android OS releases tells you everything you need to know about Microsoft’s commitment to Surface Duo.

Looking to the future

Ultimately, the dual-screen vision Microsoft had failed spectacularly. At this point, there are no plans to deliver dual-screen support in the way Windows 10X did on Windows 11, and most OEMs have all but given up on their dual-screen designs. Lenovo is the only one to have shipped a dual-screen laptop in the last couple of years, and they had to do most of the heavy lifting software wise to get that experience to work.

Even with Microsoft’s vision dead, and its lead now on the way to Amazon, it appears the future now leans on true foldable displays. We’re seeing it on phones, and we’re starting to see it in the PC space too. LG, ASUS, Lenovo, and HP have all unveiled foldable PCs with Windows 11, and there are more on the way. Now, all we need is for Microsoft to support them natively with Windows, and perhaps launch a foldable Surface PC of its own.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has dropped official software support for the first-generation Surface Duo.
• The device was released three years ago on September 10, running Android 10.
• Microsoft will no longer release OS or security updates for the device.

Microsoft is done supporting the original Surface Duo, three years after it first launched on September 10. The company has stated from the very start that the Surface Duo would receive just three years of OS updates, meaning today is the last day that Microsoft has to stay true to its word.

Going forward, Microsoft will no longer ship new OS updates or security patches for the original Surface Duo, meaning Android 12L is the last version of the OS it will ever officially receive. Surface Duo only ever got two major OS updates, one shy of the average three that most high-end flagship Android devices get these days.

Surface Duo customers can continue to use their devices with no issues for now as apps will continue to be updated like normal, but with no further security updates planned, users will want to be a little more cautious going forward. 

Microsoft hasn't been working on new features or bug fixes for Surface Duo in months anyway, so it's not like current Surface Duo users are going to be missing out on much outside of security patches. Plus, with support for third-party ROMs, enthusiasts can install a custom version of Android 13/14 on their devices.

Microsoft will continue to support the second-generation Surface Duo for one more year, with support currently set to end on October 21, 2024. So far, Surface Duo 2 has only received one major Android OS update, meaning it needs at least two more to stay on-par with other Android OEMs.

We're back with another exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast, and on this week's episode, Dan and Zac discuss Microsoft's latest patent and whether it's for the next-gen Surface Duo, Paint & Photos getting AI capabilities, preview Microsoft's September Surface event, all the latest on Windows 11 insider builds, Bing Chat AI is coming to the Microsoft Launcher & Surface Duo, Zac reviews his new Google Pixel Fold phone & the Lenovo Legion Go, Dan reveals what he can about his trip to Intel Labs in Malaysia, and more!

Links

• Windows 11 will soon let you uninstall even more in-box apps - Windows Central
• Microsoft may bring AI capabilities to apps like Paint and Photos on Windows 11 - Windows Central
• Microsoft announces 2023 Surface event - Windows Central
• Microsoft patents 360-degree folding display — is this the Surface Duo 3? - Windows Central
• Bing Chat AI is FINALLY coming to the Microsoft Launcher and Surface Duo - Windows Central
• I tried Lenovo's new Steam Deck and ROG Ally killer - Windows Central

Sponsors:

• Indeed: Hire better with Indeed. Visit indeed.com/wcp to start hiring now.

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Find us elsewhere:

• Download directly: Audio
• Listen via Spotify
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe via RSS
• Subscribe via Google Play Music
• Subscribe via Pocket Casts
• Watch the live stream video archive

What you need to know

• Microsoft's new patent filing revealed that the company is experimenting with 360-degree folding screens.
• The patent details how the screen and hinge design may operate.
• Microsoft's second known patent focuses on displays that can fold from 0 to 360 degrees.

A recent patent filing revealed that Microsoft is experimenting internally with 360-degree folding screen designs. First spotted by Patently Apple, the filing details how a 360-degree folding screen and hinge may work together to provide a flexible screen that can fold all the way around from fully closed to fully opened.

The patent follows another one from 2022, which also details how to reverse a foldable display without a gap, so clearly, Microsoft is interested in the idea. 

Could this be Microsoft's screen and hinge design for the next Surface Duo? I would be very surprised. Microsoft's hardware teams patent all kinds of designs, and it's no surprise they are experimenting with this technology. That said, just because it can be done in labs doesn't mean it's easy to manufacture or can be built for a reasonable cost. 

Interestingly, in 2022, LG showed the world a working prototype of an 8.03-inch foldable OLED display that can fold inwards and outwards at any angle from 0 to 360 degrees. The resolution is 2480 x 2200 with 413 PPI, offers 430 nits of brightness (but peaks at 600), and delivers 109.9% DCI-P3 color gamut, which is not far off from the screen size of Surface Duo. Microsoft could very well be looking at this technology for a device down the road as it is evident it exists, but it is unclear when it can be mass-produced and made affordable.

Earlier this year, I was told that Microsoft's next folding smartphone would drop the dual-screen design in favor of a folding screen with a 180-degree hinge and external cover display, just like the Google Pixel Fold or Xiaomi Mix Fold 3. That was before Microsoft began a huge wave of layoffs and cutbacks, which I'm told forced the Surface team to postpone work on this device.

It's unclear if the next Surface phone will be ready in 2024, as was initially planned. I highly doubt it will use a 360-degree folding display if it is. My sources say durability concerns still need to be addressed, and this kind of design would be too expensive for most customers. 

That said, never say never. Plans can always change, and I'll let you know if I hear that's the case. For now, we can only speculate. I think a 360-degree folding Surface tablet is more likely than a phone. A 13-inch foldable Surface Pro that folds into a 9-inch Surface Mini? Sign me up. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft Launcher for Android is getting updated with Bing Chat integration.
• Users will be able to quickly launch into Bing Chat via the search bar on the Launcher.
• It's coming to any device running the Microsoft Launcher, including Surface Duo!
• The feature is currently in beta, but will likely rollout to everyone soon. 

It's been a very long while since Microsoft Launcher on Android received any new features. For the last year, Microsoft has seemingly had the Launcher in maintenance mode, but that may now be changing as the latest Microsoft Launcher beta update finally introduces a feature users have been asking for since February.

With the latest beta build, Microsoft has added Bing Chat AI integration into the Launcher's search bar, giving users the chance to jump into a Bing Chat session without first needing to download the Bing app. Now, users will see a Bing Chat icon in the search bar pinned to their home screen, or when swiping down to access the Launcher's search functionality.

Tapping on the Bing Chat icon will pull up an immediately familiar Bing Chat interface, as it's simply using the website like it has been doing in pretty much all cases where Bing Chat is available. So now users will have a quick launch capability into Bing Chat when using the Microsoft Launcher.

The good news is this feature appears to also be rolling out on Surface Duo devices, so if you're using Microsoft's first-party Android device, you too are getting an AI injection with the upcoming Microsoft Launcher update.

As mentioned, this functionality is currently only available in the Microsoft Launcher Beta, which you can sign up for here. Now that it's in beta, it shouldn't be too long before it begins rolling out to all users, hopefully in the coming weeks. 

What you need to know

• Samsung launched its Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Tab S9 family of tablets, and Galaxy Watch 6 today.
• The new Galaxy devices have launch-day offers, such as trade-ins, and many of them come with other perks like Microsoft 365 and YouTube Premium.
• Many Surface Duo owners are looking for a new foldable since Microsoft has seemingly abandoned the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2.

Samsung unveiled a plethora of devices at its Galaxy Unpacked event earlier this year. The Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Watch 6 family, and Galaxy Tab S9 family all refresh specs across the board and feature refined designs. We've seen quite a bit of buzz about the hardware, and some members of our team have even placed preorders. The wait is finally over, as the new Galaxy devices start shipping today.

While Samsung's phones and tablets run Android, they complement Windows well. A large number of PC users have Android phones, and Samsung and Microsoft have worked to bring those two kinds of devices closer together. Some Phone Link features are exclusive to Samsung hardware and a handful of Microsoft apps come preinstalled on Samsung phones.

Like all Android phones, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 work with Microsoft's suite of applications. Both the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 come with four free months of Microsoft 365 Basic. In addition to that Microsoft-centric perk, the phones are bundled with four months of YouTube Premium and two months of Adobe Lightroom.

Galaxy Z Fold 5

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 builds on four previous generations of Samsung foldables. It features an outer display for regular phone use and a foldable screen that lets you use the device as a tablet. It has an improved hinge over the Z Fold 4 and runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.

The 7.6-inch AMOLED display is built for multitasking and spanning content across the entire screen, though you'll get some letterboxing depending on the aspect ratio of videos you watch. S Pen cases for the device are slimmer, as is the pen itself.

Overall improvements to the hinge and processor make the Galaxy Z Fold 5 a good entry point for those new to foldables, though Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich says it's arguably not worth upgrading if you already have the Z Fold 4.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 starts at $1,799.99. You can save up to $1,000 with an eligible trade-in.

Galaxy Z Flip 5

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 received a bigger upgrade than its folding sibling. The Z Flip 5 has a Flex Window that's dramatically larger than its predecessor's. It also runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, which "performs like a champ," according to Android Central's Galaxy Z Flip 5 review.

impressive cameras, a sleek design, and water resistance round out an all-around impressive foldable from Samsung. It's earned high marks from reviewers, many of which focus on the larger Flex Window.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is also a vertical foldable, meaning it flips shut into a tiny rectangle that's easier to fit into a pocket. You can then open it up to look like a "normal" phone. There are other clamshell flip phones from Motorola, OPPO, Vivo, and other companies, but the Z Flip 5 has the fastest processor in the category.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 starts at $999.99. It also has trade-in offers, but they max out at $600.

Galaxy Tab S9

There are several Galaxy Tab S9 tablets available starting today. The lineup starts at $799.99 for the base-model Galaxy Tab S9, but you can also opt for the Galaxy Tab S9+ or Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. The flagship Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra features a massive 14.6-inch AMOLED 2x display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. It also runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy that ships in Samsung's flagship phones.

I broke down all of the Galaxy Tab S9 models when Samsung announced them last month, so make sure to check out the full specs before picking one up.

Launch offers for the Galaxy Tab S9 series are different than those of Samsung's phones. You can get a free Book Cover Keyboard that turns the tablets into a laptop when you purchase a Tab S9 or Tab S9+.

Galaxy Watch 6

Lastly, Samsung unveiled a pair of smartwatches in the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic stood out because it brought back the popular rotating bezels that were removed with the previous generation.

You can get up to $250 off the Galaxy Watch 6 or Galaxy Watch 6 Classic with an eligible trade-in. That's a considerable discount considering the smartwatches start at $299.99.

What you need to know

• Microsoft just shipped an update for Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2.
• The update includes Android's security fixes from July 2023.
• Microsoft has not shipped a meaningful feature update for the Surface Duo family of devices in almost one year.

Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 owners have been waiting for a July security update for quite some time. Despite being well into August, Microsoft only shipped the July security update for the foldables this week. Microsoft's support document for the update labels it as an "August 8 release," so you should see the update soon as it rolls out gradually.

The update does not include any new features or major changes. The change log only has a single item.

"Addresses scenarios outlined in the Android Security Bulletin – July 2023," stated Microsoft.

The Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 have not received a meaningful feature update in almost a year, so it's not surprising to see a simple security update ship.

Surface Duo continues to dwindle away

Today's update is par for the course from Microsoft. Earlier this year, our Senior Editor Zac Bowden outlined how the Surface Duo is in trouble. The device is still on Android 12L and updates to Android 13 or Android 14 are uncertain. Microsoft would not confirm if any major Android updates are on the way to the Surface duo lineup.

Security updates will continue to ship to the Surface Duo 2 until October 2024, but that may be all owners of the folding phone can expect.

Many of the members of the Surface Duo OS team have been moved to work on Teams Rooms on Android, according to Bowden's sources. He also reported that as of a few months ago, Microsoft did not have plans to deliver Android 13 for Surface Duo.

The lack of meaningful updates has led to unofficial projects being worked on to bring Android 13 to Surface Duo.

Many fans and enthusiasts have been disappointed by Microsoft's efforts related to Surface Duo. Our Dan Rice argued that Surface Duo is Windows Phone all over again. Jason Ward explained how Microsoft's dubious positioning of the Surface Duo killed an ambitious vision.

With Microsoft seemingly abandoning the Surface Duo lineup, I expect many to check out devices like the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold.

From hedgehogs on Microsoft's Redmond campus to Phil Spencer surprising us with a major Final Fantasy announcement at this year's Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival, it's been an eventful week. Thankfully for anyone wanting to catch up on Microsoft, Xbox, and Windows news, we have a roundup of the biggest stories.

Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox

After years of waiting, Final Fantasy 14 is finally on its way to Xbox consoles. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer made a surprise appearance at this year's Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival to share the news. Spencer and Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu also discussed further plans to get games on to Xbox consoles.

The Xbox version of Fantasy 14 will have quick load times that are on par with the PC version of the popular game. It will also support 4K resolution and have content throughout the upcoming Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail expansion.

Final Fantasy 14 will be released on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in Spring 2024. Before that time, there will be an open beta for the game.

Surface Duo mystery

Stop me if you've heard this before, Microsoft has communicated poorly regarding the Surface Duo. The company has said to our Senior Editor Zac Bowden that it has "nothing to share" regarding if the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 will receive any more major Android updates. The foldable phones still run Android 12L despite the fact that Android 13 has been out for months.

Sources told Bowden that the Surface Duo 2 has been discontinued. The phone is still supported in terms of security updates, but it's unclear if it will receive an update to Android 13 or Android 14 at any point.

Microsoft has reportedly moved the majority of the Surface Duo OS team to work on Teams Rooms on Android. As of a few months ago, there weren't any plans to ship Android 13 for Surface Duo, though plans are subject to change. 

Since Microsoft said it had "nothing to share" rather than flat out denying future updates are on the way, there's a chance that the company could surprise us. I'd suggest against holding your breath, however. Microsoft has a poor track record with shipping updates to the Surface Duo and I don't see that changing.

If you have a Surface Duo, your best bet for a major update may be through the unofficial project to get Android 13 onto the device.

Ryzen 7945HX3D

AMD's impressive 3D V-Cache technology is on its way to gaming laptops. The company unveiled its Ryzen 9 7945HX3D at the China Joy event this week. That chip features 16 cores, 32 threads, and a boost frequency of 5.4GHz. It also has a 144MB Cache that's possible due to 3D V-Cache.

That technology allows AMD to stack layers of cache together, which improves power and efficiency. 3D V-Cache made its way to desktops earlier this year in the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Ryzen 9 7900X3D and Ryzen 9 7950X3D. Now, that same tech is on the way to gaming laptops.

The Ryzen 9 7945HX3D will power the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D, which will launch on August 22, 2023. We'll have to see how the chip performs in the real world, but based on its specs, the Ryzen 9 7945HX3D could be the best gaming processor of 2023.

Microsoft Edgehog

If you follow Microsoft Edge on Twitter, or rather X as it's now called, you'll have spotted a change to the browser's profile photo. Rather than the Edge logo, the page now shows an adorable tiny hedgehog. That same spiny creature was seen on Microsoft campus in Redmond recently.

As far as we can tell, this is a cute marketing tactic rather than a hint at anything more substantial. But that didn't stop our Managing Editor Jez Corden from breaking down the possible conspiracy surrounding the hedgehog. Corden joked, or at least I think he was joking, about an overarching conspiracy about Microsoft buying SEGA.

New Xbox dashboard

Xbox consoles received a new dashboard this week that better shows off backgrounds and artwork. Microsoft worked on the new dashboard and received feedback on what to improve for quite a while before shipping this version of the Xbox home screen.

The new Xbox home experience has a dedicated quick access menu at the top of the screen and smaller app tiles that get out of the way of your beautiful background or set dynamic backgrounds.

Despite the dashboard being based on feedback, it still features a bunch of ads and promotional material, so I'm not sure Microsoft is listening to all the feedback it receives, but hey, you gotta pay the bills. Xbox revenue increased 1% year-over-year in FY23 Q4. Maybe ads on the dashboard are the key to Xbox bringing in money.

Microsoft banning emulators

There are thousands of games to choose from on Xbox consoles, but you can expand that library greatly with the use of an emulator. If you have the right tools, you can play PlayStation and GameCube games through emulation on your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S. But Microsoft has started suspending community members that use certain methods to emulate games.

While you can sideload apps onto your console if it's set to developer mode, there are downsides to that setup. Some community members prefer to set their console to retail mode, which until earlier this year also supported sideloading apps. Microsoft shut that functionality down in April 2023, but people found a workaround.

Now, members of the community are being temporarily suspended or banned for using that workaround to sideload apps onto Xbox consoles in retail mode.

For now, you can still use emulators by setting your Xbox console to developer mode, but it's unclear if that will remain to be the case.

Reviews & Editorials

Spec sheets and photos are fine for first impressions, but to really get a feel for a game or device, you have to go hands-on. From massive, curved gaming monitors to handheld PCs you can take on the go, our experts look at devices large and small. Here's a quick roundup of our reviews from the past week:

• Xbox's biggest crisis right now isn't games. It's hardware.
• This $30 gadget transformed working from home for me
• Microsoft's dubious positioning of the Surface Duo killed an ambitious vision
• Lenovo Legion Slim 7i (Gen 8) gaming laptop review: Slick hardware outperforms baffling design choices
• AYANEO 2S review: An impressive gaming handheld with a price that's hard to swallow
• Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons review — An expertly reimagined classic for the modern age
• Dangbei Neo Smart projector review: A refreshing cinematic experience for video games
• Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3423DWF) review: Does it all with ease

Deals

Gadgets are great, but they can also be expensive. Our team hunts for the best deals on laptops, monitors, more. Over the last week, our experts spotted discounts on versatile 2-in-1s, gaming PCs, and gaming monitors. Here are the best deals of the week that are still live.

Yesterday, Samsung took the wraps off its new foldables for 2023, and they were mostly disappointing. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a minor update over the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which in itself was a minor update over the Galaxy Z Fold 3, which just happened to be a moderate update over the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2.

It's that's three generations of essentially the same phone, with no attempts to address the biggest issue with the Galaxy Fold as a device: its shape. Now, I know there are many Samsung die-hards who think the taller, thinner aspect ratio of the Galaxy Fold is superior to the likes of the Pixel Fold or Honor Magic V2, which opt for wider, more traditional aspect ratios for the outer screen.

Well, I'm here to tell those Samsung die-hards they're wrong. The Galaxy Fold's aspect ratio is terrible in almost all aspects except for when it comes to one-handed typing. That's the only thing it excels at, but that's not a good enough trade-off. The outside screen on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is still too narrow for comfortable use, and it's the sole reason I'm not buying one.

What Samsung should have done with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a radical design update that followed the shape of the Surface Duo, which is a wider and shorter device overall, but that’s part of what makes Surface Duo so unique. Its shape is awesome, enhancing productivity and feeling bigger than most other foldable phones on the market, thanks to its aspect ratio.

The Pixel Fold is a similar shape to Surface Duo, but it’s not exactly the same as it’s still slightly narrower. So far, not a single true foldable phone has matched the Surface Duo in shape, and I think that’s a crying shame because it’s genuinely the best-shaped foldable out there currently.

The wide screen makes typing with two hands so incredibly easy too, and if it were a true foldable, the size of both screens as one continuous 8.3-inch foldable display would mean most apps are able to extend and flourish as if they were running on an actual Android tablet. Just look at how spacious apps like Outlook look on Surface Duo compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5:

This is the true foldable experience that I yearn for, but there isn't a single Android OEM currently building a device of this shape. Why? I don't understand why Samsung and other foldable OEMs are opting to remain as close to the "square" aspect ratio as possible. The Surface Duo's shape has already proven that this is the best way forward for UX and comfort.

It's also the best shape for multitasking. Running two apps side-by-side on the foldable screen of a Galaxy Fold is a cramped experience because the screen is too narrow. You can rotate it for a more Pixel Fold-like experience, but nothing is beating the sheer wideness of the Surface Duo's aspect ratio, which is the equivalent of two full-sized smartphone screens side by side.

Unfortunately for us, Microsoft is a bad Android OEM and is doing a terrible job at supporting Surface Duo, and seemingly isn't even in a rush to bring a Surface Duo 3 to market. So, we're all out of options. The Pixel Fold is the closest thing so far, but even then, it's not a perfect replacement. I worry nothing will be a perfect replacement for Surface Duo.

What you need to know

• Microsoft won't say if it plans to deliver any more major versions of Android for Surface Duo users.
• Development on new features for Surface Duo was halted late last year as resources were pulled to other projects.
• Now, the company won't say if the device has been discontinued. 

If you’ve been holding out hope that Microsoft was gearing up to ship a big update for Surface Duo at some point this year, I think it might be time to let that boat sail. The company has seemingly gone radio silent on all things Surface Duo, providing “nothing to share” responses to any questions asked about the product.

This week, I asked Microsoft if the company had discontinued Surface Duo 2, and a company spokesperson said it had nothing to share. My own internal sources say that the Surface Duo 2 has been discontinued, which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering it’s a smartphone coming up on two years old, and makes no financial sense to restock.

It’s important to note that discontinued doesn’t mean unsupported, though it certainly feels that way. Existing Surface Duo 2 customers will continue to get monthly security updates between now and October 2024, but whether or not the company plans to deliver any more major Android OS versions is another question entirely.

In fact, I also asked Microsoft if it was planning to deliver any more major versions of the Android OS for Surface Duo customers. This would have been a chance for Microsoft to reassure existing users that they hadn’t been abandoned, but the company decided to issue yet another “nothing to share” comment.

My sources say that a majority of the Surface Duo OS team has been moved to work on Teams Rooms on Android, which has been a big focus for the Android Microsoft Platform & Experiences team (AMPX) this year. As a result, I’m told that as of a few months ago, there were no plans to deliver Android 13 for Surface Duo.

Now, while it's possible that the team could 'circle back' to Surface Duo at some point, I think it's unlikely. Before active development on Surface Duo OS stopped, the company was working on a handful of new features that would have shipped on top of Android 12L.

These new features included a new Windows 365-powered Continuum mode, which would let you log in to a Cloud PC when plugging the Surface Duo into an external display. Microsoft also had plans to deliver AI-based camera eye-correction at some point, as well as inking on the lock screen for quick notetaking.

Development on all these features has stopped, showing no signs of movement for months now. This all points towards a product that has been abandoned, similar to how Microsoft treated Windows 10 Mobile in its final years. Sure, it was still 'supported,' but there was no active development taking place.

I would love to be wrong about this, but I think Microsoft is done with Surface Duo. I reported at the beginning of the year that the Surface team had scrapped plans for a dual-screen Surface Duo 3 and had instead pivoted over to working on a true foldable phone instead. It's my understanding that if this thing ever ships, it won't be a 'Duo' product.

Users on Reddit have reported that Microsoft is now issuing refunds to Surface Duo owners who have been trying to get their devices exchanged under warranty. This is because Microsoft is all out of Surface Duo replacement units in most regions and would seemingly rather refund you than fix it.

There has been a battle raging in my mind ever since the first Duo was announced as to whether I should invest in another Microsoft mobile effort. I was excited about the hardware on offer and the vision for what the device was meant to be, and I nearly went for it. Nearly. It has been in my shopping cart numerous times, but it never happened. Congrats to myself for some self-restraint for once!

Even though I've not owned a Surface Duo I've been able to build a solid perspective on it through a number of friends and content creators who have used both of the Duo's since their respective releases. It was very clear to me that having two screens instead of one that folded was rather beneficial in many ways. 

Being able to use a solid piece of glass for each screen instead of it physically folding brings much better durability, uniformity and cheaper repair costs if required. Not to mention having no crease interfering with the output or just being downright distracting under lights. The form factor alone was far more useable, the same direction Google has gone in with the newly released Pixel Fold.

For many this set up still wasn't seen as cutting edge enough for a device costing so much. Comparisons of course were made to the Galaxy Fold; a very different concept to the Duo but of course the Microsoft dual screen device "just couldn't compete". I was told that numerous times by people who seemed to simply dismiss it without understanding exactly what it was bringing to the table.

Now this isn't the sole reason why the Duo has failed to gain any significant following outside of the Microsoft loyalists. The price, as with all foldable/dual screen devices requiring complex engineering to produce a bespoke hinge solution, was quite high. This is to be expected. The software experience is what wasn't expected. It's much better than it was right now, but the updates have really dried up now barring the usual Android security updates. Microsoft ran a very small team for Surface Duo, and it really showed. It's a shame they didn't dedicate more resources, as it could have led to more consumers having confidence that their investment in the products wouldn't just go to waste. Layoffs this year have even hit the small Duo team.

I actually liked the approach Microsoft took with the Surface Duo hardware in that they were listening to community feedback and really tried to improve the Surface Duo 2 in ways that mattered. They improved the build, added a Glance Bar display down the spine of the hinge, added 90Hz displays and the biggest change was a triple camera set up that was kind of controversial in many ways, as some Duo users said this messed up the functionality with not being able to fold the phone flat, like you could with the original Duo. Not to mention the way it affected the uniformity and balance. Many just didn't want the cameras, which were still average at best. Were they added to appease complaints from people who never used or had intention of getting a Duo in the first place? I don't know, but it seemed at odds with the original philosophy of the Surface Duo.

All of this leads to; what should you do now? Is it really time to move on from Surface Duo? Is this the end of the line? Is Microsoft really worthy of your hard-earned cash when they never seem to provide their customers with a premium experience, even though they charge a premium price? The Xbox Gamepass app has been broken for a long period of time for many users. Not to mention new cutting-edge features like Bing AI not being included in the SwiftKey Keyboard that Duo uses while Microsoft provides this function to users of Huawei phones from years ago, with their more recent phones not supporting the Google Play Store at all due to the US ban on Huawei. The lack of support sounds a little like Windows Phone doesn't it?

Rumours of the Surface Duo 3 point to an abandoning of the dual screen set-up and moving to a single folding screen with an outer screen, like a Samsung Galaxy Fold but more likely a Pixel Fold. This is the biggest change by far in moving away from the Surface Duo philosophy to the point where the Surface Duo name itself will make absolutely zero sense.

The overall picture looks bleak. I think demand for a Surface Duo 3 will be so low if they go this route, that it may end up being better for them to not release it at all. Microsoft need to stop with the half-hearted approach. Dipping a foot to test the waters is not how the Surface line turned into a massive success after a troubled start. People want to see commitment. The Duo has barely been a real attempt and it doesn't match up with the Surface brand in many regards. If it goes for a folding screen approach, I don't see how they differentiate the Duo from the likes of the Galaxy Fold and the Pixel Fold in particular.

Microsoft really needs to rethink its approach and even consider pulling out altogether, which will likely be the end of any mobile efforts. At least until they get Windows on this kind of form factor. There's also the very real possibility that this ship has already sailed, and that the few consumers of the Surface Duo are already looking for greener pastures.

I was in the room on Oct 2nd, 2019, in New York, when Microsoft's Chief Product Officer Panos Panay, like a magician pulling matter from an immaterial plane, revealed what many Microsoft enthusiasts and Window Phone fanshad long dreamt would manifest from the combined narrative of our hopes, rumors, informed analysis and leaks. Microsoft's latest pocketable mobile device, the Surface Duo, was introduced to a room full of Microsoft fans and tech media that day. Indeed, Microsoft made the Surface Duo (and its much-improved successor) a fantastic product but also made some stupid moves when bringing what was to be a category-defining device to market.

The impossibly thin, alluringly sleek, beautiful piece of dual-screen, glass-covered tech with a 360-degree hinge was finally here. The Duo was the successor, or evolution – of Microsofts previous mobile devices – Windows Phones. Many fans had fallen in love with Windows Phones because of their user-focused platform, Live Tile UI, and Microsoft's productivity-focused positioning versus the grid-of-apps focus of the competition. Despite the passion of this minuscule minority of smartphone users, however, Microsoft's missteps, poor timing, and shameful commitment, along with external market forces, led to Windows Phone's death.

Yet, despite the demise of Redmond's smartphone efforts, fans hoped that Microsoft's mobile strategy would ultimately yield the productivity-focused, category-defining mobile device the company was rumored to be working on. We were also optimistic Microsoft would strive to encourage OEM partners to follow.

Category-defining vision, historic category-defining success

We did not pin our hopes on the ether either. In 2016, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella described Microsoft's then-developing Duo as the "ultimate mobile device." He inspired us further by claiming the device would be positioned "beyond the curve" of the smartphone space. It would do more via hardware flexibility, software adaptability, cloud computing, and integration with Microsoft 365 than the slate-shaped iPhones and Android phones that saturated the even then plateauing smartphone market.  

Pragmatic evidence that proved Microsoft, if committed, could pull it off also inspired us. The company had succeeded (after two failed attempts and negative press) in establishing an industry-wide 2-in-1 PC category with Surface Pro (that integrates productivity, software and hardware flexibility, touch, inking, and leisure), which competitors like Apple who once mocked it, now embrace. 

So, despite the disheartening record of abandoned products left in Microsoft's wake, the Surface Duo inspired hope that Redmond was all in with its dual-screen productivity-focused mobile device vision. But, with its reported abandonment of two displays for version three in favor of a single folding display, a 180- versus 360-degree hinge, and its waning support of Surface Duo, Microsoft has proven its reliability in disappointing supporters. 

Staking new mobile ground beyond smartphones…or not 

Android as the OS of choice rather than a pared-down version of Windows was the first disappointment the Duo delivered to hardcore Windows Phone fans. Still, it was here, there was a partnership with Google to make Android at home, efficient and flexible on this dual-screen device, and Microsoft's dreaded mobile app gap was finally bridged.  

OS choice aside, the fundamental design and use cases for the inordinately thin pocketable productivity-focused dual-screen Surface that could take different postures, supports inking, run Microsoft's and all Android apps, and makes phone calls was a unique play by Microsoft in the mobile space that overlapped but more importantly extended beyond the smartphone space. 

This point of overlapping but extending into the mobile space beyond the smartphone space was important for consumers, tech reviewers, and OEM partners to understand. Still, Microsoft did a horrible job communicating it. The company's initial messaging differentiating the Duo from smartphones was evident. However, against stubborn market headwinds that made it difficult for many to conceptualize a productivity-focused pocketable device that could make calls being anything but a phone, Microsoft acquiesced, and the messaging collapsed. 

You say phone, Surface Duo creator says “Surface” 

Notably, when Surface Creator Panos Panay introduced the category-defining Surface Duo, he did not call it a phone. Indeed, as I observed the presentation with a clear view of the teleprompter from my seat, the carefully scripted presentation never included the word phone. The absence of the word phone from the script precludes any chance that Panay's omission of the word was an unintentional oversight. He even seemed to anticipate how the device would be perceived and raised this preemptive defense: "I want to be super clear about this, you're going to talk about this as a phone and I get that. And you're going to talk about it as a communication device and it does both of those things incredibly well, for sure. For sure, you can text, you can write, you can do what you want. But make no mistake this product is a Surface." 

This echoes, Nadella's own words, "I didn't come at [the Duo] from 'Let's recommit to phones' or go back in time and enter the same market that we quote-unquote 'exited,'" says Nadella. "We're looking at what's next."

Surface Duo’s dubious position

There has been and still may be a debate about what the Surface Duo is and isn't. This debate manifests Microsoft's core problem with Duo's positioning and marketing. Some swear it is a phone; some assert it is not. Some think of it as something somewhere in between, labeling it nebulously "more than a phone." If Microsoft had done its job correctly, this debate likely wouldn't exist to any meaningful degree. Microsoft made the Duo, and it is responsible for definitively defining to the masses what it is, what it does, what the company believes it will do for a user, or what users should do with it. 

Sadly, I've since seen Microsoft employees refer to the Duo as a smartphone despite Panay's and Nadella's initial "beyond the curve" not-a-phone allusions and how it's currently and conflictingly still categorized as a dual-screen computer on the company's website. Talk about confusing. 

Furthermore, in a 2021 Unbox Therapy interview, even Panay acknowledges how he gets into trouble because he has answered this question differently at different times. In fact, in response to the hosts' inquiry about what the Duo is, Panay begins his response: "I look at it as a Surface. And that's my mind; that's not even a trick. That's not a marketing tool." He continues, "This is Surface; it's a product that's going to adapt to what you need to do - period." Within the context of explaining the Duo's adaptability, to become what a user needs and its ability to replace one's phone, Panay continues: "This is my phone now, I don't have a problem saying [that]. That's where I kind of get in trouble; like you just said it wasn't a phone. I promise you, for many, it will be their phone; for others, it'll be a replacement for their tablet."

I note that even in this discourse, Panay does not assert the company's categorizing of the Duo as a phone or even a tablet. He stresses its adaptability to become whatever the user needs it to be. The fact that he calls it first a Surface, followed by a description of its context-conforming capabilities, concluding with stating that for some it would be a phone and others a tablet, while never definitively (for many) answering what the Duo is, predictably leaves some filling in the blanks for themselves. 

To be fair, it is challenging to name a new category for a category-defining "ultimate mobile device" that tries to do it all. But the daring use of a new word, or an old word unapologetically and consistently used in a new way (Surface perhaps), was needed for Microsoft to define and stake a claim in the new mobile category it hoped to pioneer with the Duo.  That’s what Apple would have done.

Ambition begone let’s make a smartphone

Microsoft's inconsistencies confused the market, which likely helped deliver a potentially fatal blow to its hopes of establishing a new category of dual-screen productivity-focused mobile devices. In fact, with Surface Duo 3, Microsoft is reportedly abandoning the dual screen, 360-degree hinge form factor, which allows for multiple postures, which were core to Microsoft's productivity vision for the Duo. 

Microsoft will instead pursue a single folding display with a less versatile 180-degree hinge. It seems Redmond is ceding ground from the "beyond the curve" portion of the mobile space in which it hoped to set its stakes and is instead setting up camp firmly in the smartphone market Nadella asserted he was not recommitting to with the Duo. 

Frankly, with single-display folding devices Samsung and others dominate mindshare in the smartphone portion of the still infantile yet broader folding mobile device space. Sadly, rather than remaining committed to its ambitious dual-screen productivity mobile device vision with the third iteration of the Duo, Microsoft is following the smartphone market.

Surface Duo 3 and the unambitious path of least resistance

Microsoft was either too lazy or their ability to execute too incoherent to educate consumers, tech journalists, and OEM partners of the Duo's merits, positioning, and purpose. Perhaps explaining how two displays keep a user's mind "in the flow, per Panay, how apps interact across two screens, how multitasking is optimized using two displays, how the device has different postures using its 360-degree hinge, how digital journaling across the broad displays and more makes the Duo a category-defining productivity powerhouse.

I suppose it was easier to make it a smartphone the third time because everyone understands smartphones, even fancy, expensive cutting-edge folding display smartphones. There's little to explain –and unlike the Duo, there is no significant learning curve. They're smartphones that get bigger when you unfold them. Simple. 

Conversely, Panay explained the Duo like this, "To be clear, there's a learning curve—it's new." But he added, "I don't think you'll be able to trade it in once you get productive on this product. And that, I think, is how a category is established." 

Panay is right. My Surface Duo 2 is hard to put down, and going back to a single-screen device is almost unthinkable – though perhaps inevitable as Microsoft ends Duo support. I wish Microsoft had done its part to help the market through that learning curve before pivoting to a less ambitious, potentially less productive, and in my opinion, more mundane mobile vision.

What Microsoft should do

The Surface Duo entered the market plagued with frustratingly buggy software. Microsoft's release of a costly device with such imperfect software made many users, reviewers, and perhaps OEM partners question Microsoft's seriousness about the category. Still, the Surface PC line had a tough beginning, but Microsoft was committed and educated the market on the merits of 2-in-1s. The company convinced OEM partners it was serious with its reference device positioning of the Surface Pro as it relentlessly pushed through two failures and substantial financial losses. Through commitment, industry education, and OEM support, a new category of 2-in-1s was born.

Microsoft should push through the initial failures of gen 1 and 2 of the Duo and aggressively stir consumer interest, educate the market, convince OEM partners the company is serious, and remain committed to the vision of the Duo with dual-screens, a 360-degree hinge and a productivity focus that encompasses but extends beyond the smartphone space. Will users immediately ditch their Android phones and iPhones? Nope. But Microsoft may succeed in educating the market that there is another way to "do mobile." 

Microsoft may convince OEMs it is serious, and, over time, these partners may use the Duo as a reference device for their takes on the new category and provide diversity and options across price points. I know Microsoft has no OS to license here. Still, it does have a play in leading a new category of mobile computing, with dynamic hardware, flexible Android, and evolving ways to integrate AI, Microsoft 365, and Microsoft Launcher in creative and powerful ways on a dual display productivity-focused Android device that makes calls.

Interestingly Lenovo's Yoga Book 9i dual-screen PC (a better Surface Neo), though a laptop, demonstrates some of the benefits and flexibility of dual-screen computing. The device has aroused a lot of interest and much excitement. Given the positive response to this dual-screen laptop, Microsoft may be exiting the dual-screen model too soon with the Surface Duo.

I'm a Rocky fan. And one of the most inspiring lines in that movie that encourages pressing forward despite how beat up one may be is, "One more round." Microsoft, keep the Surface Duo's dual-screen approach in the fight for one more round. 

What you need to know

• A former Microsoft developer has an ongoing project focused on getting Android 13 onto Surface Duo.
• The project took a major step forward earlier this month and has since received yet another update.
• The Surface Duo now supports foldable device states when running Android 13.

Microsoft's Surface Duo hasn't received a major update in over nine months. The foldable phone still runs Android 12L, even though many devices run Android 13 and are getting ready for Android 14. A former Microsoft developer has called upon himself to get a new version of Android onto Surface Duo.

Thai Nguyen released a test build of Android 13 for Surface Duo earlier this month. Initially, the setup lacked several Duo-specific features, such as handling postures. Nguyen has since shipped an update for the project that fills some of the gaps.

The latest build of the project allows you to disable the hinge gap in settings and adds support for foldable device states. These changes give users more flexibility and improve the overall experience when running Android 13 on Surface Duo.

Here's everything that's new, as listed by Nguyen:

• Remove displaymask feature so apps stop trying to load Surface Duo config and crash.
• Add option to disable Hinge Gap in Settings.
• Add support for foldable device states. - Split screen divider matches hinge size

Before you run out to install Android 13 onto your Duo, note that this is an unofficial build. You could run into issues or brick your device. You should only try it if you are okay with any unintended consequences.

YouTuber Shane Craig shows how to flash Android 13 onto Surface Duo in a recent video.

While the project to get Android 13 onto Surface Duo is fun and admirable, it's not the same as official support from a large corporation. Microsoft hasn't prioritized Surface Duo in a while, so many are looking elsewhere when considering a foldable. 

The Pixel Fold has a similar shape to the Surface Duo but without the hinge down the middle. Google also seems keen to support it. While Google has a mixed track record with supporting some products, the company has done well with its Pixel lineup over several years. At minimum, you're going to get more support from Google with the Pixel Fold than Microsoft gave Surface Duo. That's even more true if you're looking at getting a foldable today.

I remember being quite excited at the prospect of a "Surface Phone" many years ago and there were many rumors at the time. Instead, we were provided with the end of Windows Phone and with it, Microsoft leaving the mobile space. Fast forward a few years and talk of a Surface-branded mobile device resurfaced, ending up with the release of the Surface Duo. This was an Android-powered, dual-screen device with a heavy productivity focus. Once again, I found myself very excited.

The Surface Duo's hardware is gorgeous. Super thin compared to the other foldables on the market and rather unique in its overall design; this was definitely a Surface and Microsoft seemed very clear in its philosophy of what it wanted the Duo to be. But this was an Android device. An operating system that didn't have a lot of the functionality that Microsoft needed to make this work, so they had to come up with it themselves. This made it extremely buggy and for a device that was so expensive it didn't go down well in many circles. One thing users of Microsoft products often enjoy though is being part of that development process. being able to see that vision that they also share come to fruition. And support them they did, but did Microsoft care?

Surface Duo agnosticism 

The small Surface Duo team slowly worked away on the software to get it to a state where it was just about fit for purpose. They even released the Surface Duo 2, taking the hardware to new heights whilst introducing a proper rear camera setup. The latter received a mixed reception from original Surface Duo users in many cases, but the hardware was definitely a huge improvement. The software issues, whilst not as serious, were still plentiful and much scorn was sent Microsoft's way in reviews and other coverage.

Even though all of this hardware was hugely impressive to me, and I really wanted to get one, I never did. There was just that doubt at the back of my mind telling me to remember Microsoft's track record with Windows Phone, as well as other things such as the Microsoft Band and even Mixer. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I followed the development and lifespan of Surface Duo aggressively, though. I lived vicariously through a number of friends who had the Duos up until the present time, where we quite possibly find ourselves in that all too familiar graveyard of products that met their end earlier than we'd hoped.

I could be entirely wrong of course and there are still rumors of a Surface Duo 3 appearing next year with a fully foldable screen, not a dual screen as the line has touted thus far. But then why are the Surface Duo and Duo 2 not getting the features that they really should have by now? 

Surface Duo abandoned

The support for the Surface Duo and its sibling has just been abysmal. Take SwiftKey for example, which is the default keyboard for the Surface Duo. Bing AI in SwiftKey is still completely missing. 

I've been using this on my various Android phones for some time now and assumed it would be on Surface Duo, but alas it is not. In what seems like straight-up disrespect towards the Duo, the Bing AI features are actually available for Huawei phones. Yes Huawei, who haven't been able to make phones running the Google Play Store for years. Old Huawei phones are being prioritised over Surface Duo, which frankly beggars belief. I'm not sure people would be as receptive to the Duo 3 when they're not feeling valued as a customer. 

And you may say well so what, Microsoft are clearly just prioritising OEMs based on the number of phones they have is use and clearly not that many people have a Surface Duo. But that's the problem right there; they did exactly the same thing during the Windows Phone days. I remember features for the range of Office apps being rolled out on Android and iOS first because Microsoft wanted to hit the largest number of users possible, especially since many of them were paying customers. But then so were Windows Phone users too. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

We were treated like lower grade customers by the company we were buying hardware from, and this only increased in occurrence as time went on. This feels exactly like what is happening with the Surface Duo line. It doesn't seem quite as bad because of course for the most part it's getting app updates along with the rest of the Android ecosystem and still receiving Android security patches. It's the inherent mistreatment by Microsoft towards its own mobile hardware efforts that really stings, especially for those paying nearly $1500 at launch and who want to see the company succeed.

Another app Surface Duo users like to use is the Xbox Game Pass app. This brought an excellent use of both screens for cloud gaming that you simply could not do on a foldable from another brand. There have however been times where the app just wouldn't work on Duo due to poor updates and right now seems to be another one of those times, as the Xbox Game Pass app isn't working on Duo once more. This ties into another story I just covered with the Microsoft Launcher being broken after the latest update for many users but being especially problematic for Surface Duo users who upon being hit with the error had to reset the launcher and customise it all again. I've had this happen on phones with one screen let alone two. It's not fun having to set up all of your preferences and home screen again. Things like this add to the frustration that users are not being taken seriously and I understand this frustration entirely. 

The mobile market needs a third player

I like many others really want Microsoft to be a player in the mobile space. We NEED more players, especially in the US market. This was Microsoft's opportunity to build hardware without its hands tied behind its back, as a competitor in the Android ecosystem, rather than a steward of the Windows OEM ecosystem. In its recent court cases with the FTC over Xbox's plan to buy Activision-Blizzard, Microsoft even called out the duopoly between Apple and Google as a major barrier for developers of cloud gaming platforms. Microsoft has discussed building its own mobile gaming store, too. Will it have the same amount of support as the Surface Duo? 

We need more mobile players who are willing to try things that are totally out of the norm, leading to breakthrough tech. I was all in with Windows Phone, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy into Surface Duo and it seems like I made the right decision. With Microsoft's current actions causing so much ill will once again, everyone else may soon be tapped out too.

What you need to know

• The latest update for the Microsoft Launcher is providing major problems for some users.
• Users are reporting having uninstall/reinstall to get it working.
• This seems to be more of an issue for Surface Duo users, timed unfortunately alongside a recent system update. 

Reports on Reddit and Twitter started coming in this morning from users of the Microsoft Launcher after their app was updated to the latest version. It's not clear right now as to how many are affected by this, but it does seem to be happening to a range of devices and not just the Surface Duo. 

Twitter user tkuenneth received the June update for his Surface Duo and this immediately caused Microsoft Launcher to stop working. 

This next image is from Reddit user yugabe, with the same issue as above but with the error code in English, which shows the option to reset the launcher once the error code pops up.

Of course, if you're on a Surface Duo with Microsoft launcher as your only launcher this could be more of an irritation, but for those on other phones with a different default launcher it should automatically switch to that so you will still be able to use your phone just fine.

It seems for those that have updated there's no real solution other than to reset the launcher to get it working again. However, some users are also reporting that resetting the launcher doesn't work either. Hopefully Microsoft can get an update pushed out quickly to fix these issues. Having to reset the launcher is bad enough but when you end up having to customize all of your settings again that certainly gets tiring quick.

We'll keep an eye out to see if this problem is more widespread than we believe it to be right now. Hopefully it's limited to a small number of users.

What you need to know

• An ex-Microsoft developer ported Android 13 onto the Surface Duo.
• Microsoft has not shipped a major update to the Surface Duo since Android 12L came out in September 2022.
• The independent developer had to add several features to Android 13 since the operating system does not recognize the postures of the Surface Duo natively.
• Update: You can now install the Android 13 Pixel experience on your Surface Duo, though you should only do so if you are comfortable with unofficial software. Shane Craig has a video demonstrating how to install it.

Microsoft hasn't released a major update, or arguably even a minor update, to the Surface Duo in about nine months. The foldable still runs Android 12L despite the fact that most devices are preparing to receive Android 14 later this summer. One ex-Microsoft developer took it upon himself to upgrade the Surface Duo.

Thai Nguyen has a test build of Android 13 for Surface Duo in the works. It isn't just a simple flash or port either. Android 13 does not know how to handle the postures of the Surface Duo. That means Nguyen had to put in extra effort to make sure Android 13 on the Duo handles the displays and postures of the device.

Nguyen has been hard at work on this project for some time now. We covered the first video of the Surface Duo running Android 13 last month. Since then, Nguyen has shared a test build with YouTuber and Surface enthusiast Shane Craig. Performance of the Duo is surprisingly smooth, almost too smooth for an unofficial port. It begs the question why Microsoft didn't do this themselves.

The port isn't perfect. For example, the bezel of the Duo covers up some content on the screen. Nguyen's project makes the Surface Duo believe that it's a Pixel device. That provides a clean experience of Android that is similar to what people will see on the Pixel Fold. Since the Pixel Fold is a single-screen foldable without a hinge down the middle, Android 13 doesn't play nicely with some parts of the Duo's design.

Android 12L shipped to the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 in September 2022. Microsoft has not updated those devices since, at least with any meaningful new features or versions of Android. The company hasn't mentioned plans to release Android 13 or Android 14 to the Duo either.

Nguyen's project serves a chance to ask "what could have been" when it comes to the Duo. If builds are stable and feature-rich, we may see a way for tech-savvy users to install Android 13 onto the Surface Duo, albeit unofficially.

What you need to know

• Uno Platform allows developers to use code across multiple platforms, including Windows, iOS, Android, the web, and macOS.
• A recent update to Uno Platform added support for MediaPlayerElement when targeting the web and Linux.
• MediaPlayerElement is a control that developers can use to play media within apps.
• Uno Platform allowed developers to use MediaPlayerElement on iOS, Android, and Mac Catalyst before this month.

Uno Platform just announced an update that will make it easier for developers to make web and Linux apps that stream media content. The update to version 4.9 adds support for MediaPlayerElement to those platforms. MediaPlayerElement is a control that devs can use to stream and render media content in Windows Forms or WPF desktop apps, but thanks to Uno Platform, it's possible to use the same tech on a variety of other platforms.

If you're an everyday user, the announcement from Uno Platform may look like a lot of jargon. The main takeaway is that apps have a new option for media playback. Developers can use code that they've already worked on and figured out and then bring it to new platforms. MediaPlayerElement was available in Uno Platform on iOS, Android, and Mac Catalyst. Version 4.9 adds support for Linux and the web.

The CTO of Safe@AllStar, Mike Aleckson, shared how being able to use MediaPlayerElement across platforms helps both developers and users:

“Over the last three years, Uno Platform has been critical to our cross-platform mobile solutions built to protect thousands of child athletes.  Without Uno, there’s no way our small development team could’ve built and delivered our technology as quickly as we did to both the IOS and Android environments”

 “And the Media Player component now available for the Web Assembly environment is going to be a big positive in re-using our existing codebase for our youth organization training and certification app now in development.  The end result will be more and more young people being protected, in part, through the wise use of innovative technologies like the Uno Platform.”

Uno Platform shared an example of an app using MediaPlayerElement on a Raspberry Pi, iPhone, Surface Duo, PC, and the web.

The update to Uno Platform 4.9 also added support for WebView2 control for Android, iOS, and Mac Catalyst. This addition makes it possible for developers to add external web content within apps.

Uno Platform summarized the rest of the biggest changes in its blog post about version 4.9:

• Indexer and MVVM toolkit support for x:Bind expressions 
• UIElement.ActualOffset support 
• ms-appdata support for SvgImageSource, to load app packaged SVGs 
• Many performance improvements for WebAssembly using JSImport/JSExport 
• Many performance and memory improvements in the XAML Generator 
• Performance improvements in TextBlock rendering for Skia heads 
• DEPRECATING Uno Platform Solution Templates for Visual Studio 2019

What you need to know

• Microsoft recently released the May 2023 firmware update for Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2.
• According to users on Reddit and Twitter, the update causes several issues, including devices randomly restarting and failing to boot correctly.
• We have reached out to Microsoft regarding the issues to see how widespread they are.

Update 5/31/23 at 3:30 PM ET: Microsoft has responded to our request for comment with the following statement: "Microsoft is aware and is looking into it. For additional information please refer to our Microsoft’s Q&A community page: Surface Duo 2 - permanent reboots after Update may 30 2023 - Microsoft Community"

Microsoft shipped the May 2023 firmware update for Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 in May, albeit on the last day of this month. That's an improvement over the release of the April 2023 security update that did not become available until May. Unfortunately for Surface Duo owners, there appear to be issues with the foldable's most recent update.

According to reports on Reddit and Twitter (1, 2, 3), the update includes a bug that can cause the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 to restart randomly. The device then suggests a factory reset. People have had mixed results working around the bug. Some have been able to use their Surface Duo by restarting it once or multiple times.

It's difficult to determine the extent of an issue like this with the information we have available. Three posts on the internet aren't a large sample size, even if some of those threads include several people that have run into the issue.

I've reached out to Microsoft about the issues. We'll update this post if we receive any information.

Windows Central take

I have to assume that anyone who still has a Surface Duo is an enthusiast. But even those who are most passionate about the Duo lineup appear to be losing faith in it. That's not surprising, as Microsoft seemingly abandoned the Duo. The device hasn't received a major update since October 2022 and even firmware and security updates ship late or with issues.

"Constantly random reboot with the try again message. It just happened while reading on Reddit. I just want to make it to the end of June, hello Pixel Fold. I'm really disappointed with Microsoft," said jlira65 on Reddit.

My guess is that's a common sentiment among those who have held onto the Duo this long.

Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden follows development of the Surface Duo closely and explained why the family of devices is in trouble. Microsoft has reportedly made major shifts to its plans for the Duo, including scrapping a dual-screen Duo coming out in 2023. Instead, the company will focus on a single-screen foldable that may come out in 2024.

Many members of the Surface Duo OS team were shifted to a different Android project as well.

Microsoft doesn't have plans to ship Android 13 to the Surface Duo, based on info as of late 2022. The company will reportedly focus on Android 14 instead, though plans are subject to change.

We'll have to see if Microsoft can recover the reputation of the Duo and show improved support for an extended period of time.

Another week has whizzed by. That means more Microsoft news to catch up on. This week the EU approved Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard, Bing Chat got some major upgrades, and Windows 11 users gained access to iMessages through the Phone Link app. We also saw the announcement of Mortal Kombat 1 and Overwatch 2's co-op PvE mode get canceled.

Here are all of this week's biggest stories, plus a collection of our reviews, editorials, and deals we covered.

EU approves Microsoft purchase of Activision Blizzard

It seems like major news about Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard drops every week. Just a few days ago, the European Commission approved the $69 billion deal. The governing body had previously shared concerns about the acquisition, but it is satisfied with the remedies provided by Microsoft. Namely, Microsoft offered a free license for users in the EEA, which includes the EU and other countries, to stream current and future Activision Blizzard titles.

"The European Commission has required Microsoft to license popular Activision Blizzard games automatically to competing cloud gaming services," said Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith "This will apply globally and will empower millions of consumers worldwide to play these games on any device they choose.” 

With the EU on board, a magnifying glass was placed on the UK CMA blocking the deal. UK parliamentary oversight committee posed several tough questions to CMA, which has doubled down repeatedly on its decision. Our Managing Editor Jez Corden recalled the key points of the saga and added insight on the situation.

Bing Chat changes and improvements

A ton of changes rolled out to Bing Chat this week, and even more are on the way. Bing Chat can now be used without a Microsoft account, though you are limited to five turns per conversation unless you sign in. Microsoft also added a new way to share messages from Bing Chat, including downloading them as text files, PDFs, or Word documents.

Several features that Microsoft announced earlier this month are now live. Charts, graphics, and improved formatting should make Bing Chat a more visual experience, helping people absorb additional information.

On the mobile side of things, Microsoft is rolling out an update to the Bing app that adds a widget for the application. That means you can pin Bing to your home screen on iOS and Android to quickly jump into a search. The ability to continue conversations across devices also shipped with the update, as did improvements to multilingual chats.

The Edge mobile apps on iOS and Android received a major update as well this week. It adds contextual capabilities that let Bing view the contents of the webpage you're on. The search engine can then respond to questions about what's on the site you're visiting.

Overwatch 2 co-op PvE mode canceled

Blizzard announced that its originally planned PvE campaign mode in Overwatch 2 has been canceled during a livestream. The news surprised many, which is understandable given the fact that visions of the mode have been shown since 2019. Instead of a single PvE release, Blizzard will make co-op experiences part of its roadmap. The updated Blizzard roadmap shows PvE story missions as part of Overwatch 2 Season 6.

Following the confusion regarding the status of PvE content, Overwatch 2 Executive Producer Jared Neuss said:

"A clarification that I wanted to make is that, while we made the decision to cut Hero Mode + Talents, we have a lot of great PvE content coming this year," wrote Neuss. "Big story missions, new cinematics, co-op events and single player Hero Mastery missions are all on the way."

The news shocked gamers and others in the industry. Our Brendan Lowry shared feelings that are likely shared by many in the community:

"There's really no beating around the bush here: this is a massive disappointment, and I'm genuinely shocked that Activision Blizzard would cancel its plans for Overwatch 2's dedicated PvE campaign experience. Not only was it used to advertise the game, but a vertical slice was even put into player hands at BlizzCon 2019.

I'm at least glad that Blizzard isn’t completely scrapping co-op and will blend new missions into Overwatch 2's live service content updates. But it's still heartbreaking to know that we'll never get the deep PvE gameplay with exciting hero upgrades and progression systems that was promised years ago. There's a massive amount of potential here that’s not being capitalized on, and that sucks"

Surface Duo with stock Android

Microsoft's Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 currently run Android 12L, not the newer Android 13 or Android 14. That fact has caused quite a bit of frustration, and it feels like Microsoft has left the Surface Duo line behind. A former Microsoft engineer has taken it on themselves to get a more recent version of Android onto the Surface Duo.

Thai Nguyen posted a video on Twitter of the Surface Duo running stock Android. Impressively, the operating system recognizes the postures of the Surface Duo, which isn't something Android does out of the box.

The project is still in its early days, but it looks promising so far. If work on stock Android on the Surface Duo continues to progress well, it could be a way to give life to the forgotten foldable.

Mortal Kombat 1

Last week we exclusively revealed details about Mortal Kombat 1, a full reboot of the iconic franchise. This week, the game was officially announced, confirming our previous reports and giving us a glimpse of what's to come. While no gameplay of Mortal Kombat 1 was shown off, the announcement trailer set the stage for the reboot.

The plot of Mortal Kombat 1 centers around the events at the end of Mortal Kombat 11, so make sure you're up to date on that or expect to be spoiled in the announcement trailer.

If all this talk of a reboot makes you nervous, fear not. Based on the trailer, Mortal Kombat 1 will be as gory and violent as its predecessors that made the games unique.

Preorders for Mortal Kombat 1 go live on May 19, 2023. Those that get the Premium Edition will get early access on September 14, 2023. The game will then launch for everyone on September 19, 2023.

iMessage on Windows 11 PCs

Windows 11 PCs just gained the ability to send and receive iMessages. The new functionality came courtesy of an update to Microsoft Phone Link. That update also added the ability to send and receive calls and to see iPhone notifications on a PC.

While the new features are a welcome addition, there are several limits on Phone Link when connected to an iPhone. Most notably, you will not be able to see a full chat history of your iMessages. Group chats through iMessage are not supported either. As a result, Phone Link is much less capable when connected to an iPhone compared to when used with an Android phone.

Review Roundup

Our experts love to get their hands on gadgets, gizmos, and games. This week our team looked at the Dell UltraSharp 6K monitor, the Syntech 6-in-1 docking station for the Steam Deck, and much more.

• FlexiSpot BS11 Pro review: Breathable mesh makes this ergonomic office chair a dream
• Review: The GameSir T4 Kaleid would be perfect — if it worked with Xbox
• Review: Astro A30 Wireless — good enough, but far from a great headset
• Syntech 6-in-1 docking station review: An ultra-budget Steam Deck dock with unusual quirks
• Dell Ultrasharp 32 6K Monitor (U3224KB) review: All the pixels and a fantastic 4K UHD webcam make this one AMAZING display
• Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor review: This Mini-LED monitor is magnificent for gaming
• Razer Nommo V2 Pro review - The PC speakers that take you from 'That's just a game' to 'IT'S. ABOUT. TO. GO. DOWN

Deals of the week

Tech is great. Spending a ton of money on it isn't. That's why we scour the web for deals and discounts. Here are some of the most popular sales from the past week that are still live.

What you need to know

• An ex-Microsoft developer is experimenting with bringing stock Android to Surface Duo.
• The custom ROM will recognize Surface Duo's many postures, such as dual-screen and single-screen mode.
• The project would bring a more recent version of Android to Surface Duo users. 

The Microsoft Surface Duo is a device that's been on the market since 2020, yet is currently stuck on an older version of Android. Microsoft released Android 12L for the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 in September 2022, but hasn't updated the device since and has made no mention of plans to bring Android 13 (or 14) to the device anytime soon.

Fear not, as an ex-Microsoft developer by the name of Thai Nguyen is experimenting with filling the gap with a stock version of Android that's optimized for the Surface Duo's unique hardware. In a quick video posted on Twitter, Nguyen showcases early work of stock Android recognizing the Surface Duo's different postures.

This is significant, as out of box, stock Android has no idea what to do with the Surface Duo and its many postures. It doesn't recognize when the device is in dual-screen or single-screen mode, so extra work is needed to get that functionality going. It appears Nguyen is experimenting with bringing that functionality to life.

The video is of an Android 13 build, but the work should be relatively easy to port to Android 14 once that release is finalized. Upon completion, this third-party ROM would be the first for Surface Duo, and bring the device up to date with the latest version of Android, something Microsoft itself has struggled to do.

Of course, a custom version of stock Android will be missing much of the other unique Surface Duo features, such as deep Microsoft account integration, but I think for many people that might be a worthy trade-off.

This project is still in its infancy, but we'll be watching with a keen eye. 

News rolls out at a steady rate in the land of Windows and Microsoft. It's easy to miss a few stories in all the clutter. That's why each week I gather together the biggest news into one big roundup. Over the past several days we saw ASUS confirm details about the ROG Ally, Mortal Kombat 1 information leak, and Google unveil the Pixel Fold. This week ASUS also fell into hot water due to how it's responded to an overheating issue related to its ROG motherboards.

On top of all the biggest news stories, I've rounded up the best reviews, editorials, and deals of the week.

Windows 11 "Moment 3"

Microsoft has another wave of features on the way to Windows 11. The next update, which is known as Moment 3, is part of the company's "continuous innovation" effort to improve Windows every few months. When it ships, it will improve the Taskbar, Widgets Board, and system accessibility and settings.

Moment 3 is expected to start shipping in May or June, though plans are always subject to change.

Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden breaks down everything new in the next major Windows 11 update, but here's a quick rundown:

• An updated Widgets Board layout and pinning experience
• New animated Taskbar weather icons
• Bing AI button in the Taskbar search bar
• 2FA code recognition in notifications
• Multi-app kiosk mode
• Show clock seconds in the system tray
• Glanceable VPN status icon in the Taskbar
• Various improvements to Voice Access
• Support for more languages in the live captions feature
• Updated touch keyboard settings
• Cloud suggestions in Simplified Chinese IME
• USB4 settings page
• Search box will be lighter when app mode is set to light
• Access keys in File Explorer
• Create live kernel dumps in Task Manager
• Settings search is faster
• New presence sensing settings

Google Pixel Fold puts Surface Duo to shame

Google I/O 2023 was this week. At the event, the tech giant announced the Pixel Fold and several other devices. While there are plenty of interesting pieces of hardware from this year's I/O, the Pixel Fold is the most relevant to us. The aspect ratio and overall design of the Pixel Fold look similar to how we envision a Surface Duo with a folding display. The main difference, of course, is that the Pixel Fold already exists.

Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden, who has owned just about every Surface device made at some point, has fallen out of love with the Duo. The change of heart is due in part to the Pixel Fold, but Microsoft is to blame as well.

The timing of the Pixel Fold release couldn't have been worse for Microsoft. The Surface Duo has seemingly been abandoned. The April security update didn't ship until May and the device hasn't seen a meaningful feature update in months. Combine those facts with the unveiling of the Pixel Fold and it's difficult to see why anyone would stick with the Duo.

ASUS ROG Ally price, specs, and release date

After weeks of teasing and hinting, ASUS confirmed the price, release date, and full specs of the ROG Ally this week. The handheld gaming console, which runs on the new AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, will officially start shipping on June 13, 2023. Preorders for the device are already live at select retailers.

While the spec sheet of the ROG Ally is impressive, the price of the console is arguably what makes it stand out when compared to the Steam Deck. At a penny under $700, the ROG Ally is an alluring option for playing the best PC games on the go. ASUS promises AAA titles at 1080p, which is notably higher than the 720p of the Steam Deck.

But it's not all good news for the portable PC. Initial reports about the ROG Ally's battery life have been critical.

We'll have to get our hands on the ROG Ally to see how it stands up to real-world testing.

ASUS accused of shady practices

Late last month, reports emerged about AMD Ryzen 7000X3D-series processors overheating when connected to motherboards from ASUS or Gigabyte. In worst case scenarios, affected systems would see catastrophic overheating. ASUS has responded to the situation in a way that's drawn criticism and potentially left PCs at risk.

ASUS rolled out several BIOS updates for affected motherboards, but fine print from the company turned heads:

Essentially, ASUS "strongly advised" people to install beta firmware to avoid overheating issues even though doing so would void your warranty.

Making matters worse, it appears that the BIOS updates do not work. Testing by Gamers Nexus on YouTube demonstrated that boards could still exceed the safe limit of 1.3V.

ASUS motherboards have previously earned recommendations from us and others thanks to their support for overclocking. The premium pieces of hardware are expensive but have generally been considered worth it for people who want to push their systems. But the reputations of ASUS and its ROG motherboards are at risk if the company does not respond to the ongoing drama in a way that satisfies customers and critics.

Mortal Kombat 1

When Ed Boon, the co-creator of the Mortal Kombat franchise, shared video on Twitter with the hashtag #MortalKombat, social media started buzzing. The video showed a clock's hand moving around, pausing at 11, and then skipping to 1. The implication was that the next Mortal Kombat game would be a remake of Mortal Kombat 1 rather than Mortal Kombat 12.

A subsequent leak by well-known leaker billbil-kun shared the name of the next game in the franchise: Mortal Kombat 1.

We then confirmed with our sources that the information shared by billbil-kun is accurate. Mortal Kombat 1 is scheduled to come out on the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Pricing for the game was also revealed:

• The Standard edition will cost $69.99 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, while the Nintendo Switch version will cost $59.99
• The Premium edition will cost $109.99.
• The Kollector's edition will cost $249.99 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

We should have official confirmation of Mortal Kombat 1 within the coming weeks. The game is believed to have a launch window of September 2023.

Reviews & Editorials

Our experts review the latest laptops, games, and accessories every single week. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15, Drop Signature Series American keyboard, and Keychron Q1 Pro mechanical keyboard were just some of the devices our team reviewed recently. In addition to reviews, our writers share unique insights and perspectives all the time through editorials.

• I'm sticking with my Steam Deck over the ASUS ROG Ally — and not just for its battery life
• Why am I wasting $20 a month on ChatGPT Plus when Bing Chat is free?
• Are Microsoft and Xbox going to pivot away from cloud gaming?
• The Google Pixel Fold has ruined my love for the Surface Duo — and it's all Microsoft's fault
• Review: This Drop Signature Series Americana keyboard is exquisite — but there's a caveat
• Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 review: $400 is enticing, but you can get better features elsewhere
• Keychron Q1 Pro mechanical keyboard review: Why would you buy anything else?
• Lenovo Slim Pro 7 (2023) review: Affordable, thin, and AMD's latest Ryzen make it a winner

Deals of the week

Any tech enthusiast knows that it's easy to spend a lot on the latest gadgets. Our team scours the web for deals on everything from Xbox mini fridges to high-end PCs. Here are the best deals from the past week that are still live.

Note that some of these prices are different than when our team initially covered the deals.

Yesterday, Google unveiled the Pixel Fold after months of leaks and rumors. The device resembles something akin to a foldable Surface Duo, with a short but wide aspect ratio in an incredibly thin chassis. In a word, it’s gorgeous and is the exact kind of foldable I'm hoping Microsoft is eventually able to deliver with a future Surface Duo 3.

I’ve been daily driving a Surface Duo since the first one shipped in 2020, and I’ve loved my time with it. It changed how I use phones, putting multitasking at the forefront of the experience without me really even needing to think about it. That’s the beauty of defined real estate; it forces you to multitask, and the multitasking is effortless as a result.

But the phone market moves quickly, and Microsoft cannot afford to skip updating the Surface Duo with new hardware on a regular schedule. Any phone maker that wants to be taken seriously is updating their flagship phone on an annual basis, and Microsoft needs to be doing the same if it wants the world to take Surface Duo seriously.

Sadly, Microsoft opted to skip releasing a new Surface Duo at the end of 2022, and now the company is rumored to be pivoting away from the dual-screen form factor, adding a further delay to when we might next see a Surface phone from Microsoft. If Microsoft truly cared about making a name for itself in phones, it wouldn’t be fumbling this execution so poorly.

Three years off the scene is a death sentence in the phone space. If you’re going to take a three-year break, any goodwill you may have built up with fans and customers will all be gone by the time your next phone is ready to ship. Why would anyone pick up a Surface Duo 3 if they can’t guarantee it’ll be updated on a timely schedule?

Now, I’m actually not against Microsoft moving away from dual screens like some die-hard Surface Duo users might be because the dual-screen experience can (for the most part) be emulated across a single-foldable screen. The only thing you’re not going to get is that automatic multitasking experience, as the Pixel Fold (and Galaxy Fold) require user input to run two apps side by side.

But, frankly, that’s a small price to pay for an up-to-date phone with excellent cameras that’s still pretty great at multitasking, with the added benefit of not having a gap running down the middle. This benefits video consumption and most Android apps that never updated to correctly support spanning on Surface Duo, but operate fine on a larger folding screen (looking at you, Gmail.)

And that’s ultimately the reason why I’m dropping the Surface Duo 2 for the Pixel Fold when it starts shipping next month. Microsoft’s lack of feature updates (and seeming abandonment of the device from an app-development perspective) is adding insult to injury at this point. With no hardware on the horizon and disappointing software support for existing users, why should I stick with the Duo 2 when the Pixel Fold is able to mimic 90% of it but better?

I’m just so disappointed that Microsoft dropped the ball once again in the phone space. I truly believe Microsoft could have a successful phone business if it actually put some effort into supporting the hardware and software long term. Phones are not like PCs, they need to be updated and refreshed on a regular basis. That includes both software updates and hardware updates.

I know I’m going to get that with the Pixel Fold. I know it’s going to get new features on a regular basis thanks to Google’s consistent Pixel Feature Drops that occur every few months, and I know Google updates its hardware portfolio on an annual cycle, making it easy to predict that a Pixel Fold 2 is likely to launch next fall.

The same simply cannot be said for Surface Duo. When is the next feature update coming? When is the next phone on the way? We don’t know, because Microsoft doesn’t communicate. Again, phones are not like PCs. People care about their phones, they want to know what’s coming next and when. Phone refresh cycles are an open secret for a reason. Everyone knows when the next iPhone, Samsung, and Google phone is coming. The same cannot be said for the next Surface phone.

And that’s Microsoft’s ultimate downfall in this space; a lack of consistency and stability. It’s a hardware maker that can’t be trusted to keep things updated, and the more Microsoft fumbles this, the harder it’s going to be for them to return to the phone market once more.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has released a new OS update for Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2.
• The update brings last month's security update to Duo users. 
• Microsoft hasn't delivered any bug fixes or quality of life updates since 2022.

Microsoft has released a new OS update for Surface Duo customers that brings with it last month's security update for Android 12L. Yes, you read that right. Microsoft has released the April 2023 security update for Surface Duo devices in May, a month behind most other flagship phones.

Just like the last several months, this month's OS update looks to bring nothing more than Google's security patch as the update is only around 25MB in size. The company is yet to publish a changelog for the release, but a quick poke around the OS after the update confirms there are no new features to note. 

For those keeping track, today's update brings the OS build number to 2022.827.29 on Surface Duo 2. 

Microsoft hasn't shipped new features, fixes, or quality of life updates to Surface Duo customers since December last year. It seems like the company has abandoned any efforts to build out the Surface Duo with new features and fixes, as much of the team was recently moved over to a new Android product dubbed Teams Rooms on Android.

In January, we reported that Microsoft had decided to cancel plans to ship a dual-screen Surface Duo 3 in 2023, and is instead moving to a traditional single-screen foldable style for its next phone, which likely won't see the light of day until the end of 2024 at the earliest. That means existing Surface Duo customers will be without a successor for quite some time, and Microsoft's lack of new software features and fixes isn't making the wait easier. 

We're back with another exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast, and on this week's episode, Dan and Zac discuss Microsoft abandoning their dual-screen foldable smartphone, Windows 11 updates & the end of Windows 10, the spiritual return of Windows Gadgets, third-party plugin support on Bing Chat AI, review Redfall, and more!

Links

• The Microsoft Surface Duo is in trouble - Windows Central
• Microsoft is modernizing even more parts of File Explorer - Windows Central
• Microsoft is planning a major change to widgets - Windows Central
• Get ready for third-party plugin support on Bing Chat AI - Windows Central
• Redfall Review - Windows Central

Sponsors:

• Indeed: Hire better with Indeed. Visit indeed.com/wcp to start hiring now.

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Find us elsewhere:

• Download directly: Audio
• Listen via Spotify
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe via RSS
• Subscribe via Google Play Music
• Subscribe via Pocket Casts
• Watch the live stream video archive

Microsoft’s dual-screen foldable smartphone has seemingly been abandoned. At least, that’s how it looks on the outside. The last major software update the Surface Duo received was in October 2022, when the company delivered Android 12L. Since then, movement on new features and bug fixes has pretty much ground to a halt.

A major OS update often comes with a couple of months of bug fixing afterward to iron out any new issues that may have popped up with all the new changes that a major OS release brings. That’s not the case with Android 12L on the Surface Duo. Microsoft pushed out this update and has fixed just one bug since.

Android 12L for Surface Duo was not a perfect release, and it did introduce new issues users assumed would be fixed in due course, but that hasn’t happened. The company has continued to release Android security updates, but the changelogs for these monthly updates make no mention of general OS fixes or improvements, which implies Microsoft is doing the bare minimum for these releases.

Even then, the bare minimum clearly wasn’t enough in April, as the Surface Duo failed to receive the April 2023 security update, marking the first time since the device launched that Microsoft has failed to issue an up-to-date security patch for the device.

And it’s not just the OS that’s being neglected, Microsoft’s own Android app teams seem to have abandoned the Surface Duo too. SwiftKey just recently got updated with Bing AI capabilities, which is awesome and it works across a wide range of Android smartphones, including the latest Samsung devices. But the feature is not available on Surface Duo.

I asked Microsoft if Bing AI would be coming to SwiftKey on Surface Duo, and got a “nothing to share” comment back from a spokesperson. That’s frankly shocking. I also asked Microsoft if it could say whether Android 13 was in the works for Surface Duo devices, to which I received the same “nothing to share” response. Unbelievable.

So what's happening?

I reported in January that Microsoft had scrapped plans to ship a dual-screen Surface Duo 3 in 2023, and instead refocused its efforts on a single-screen foldable design that would target a late 2024 release window. Throughout 2022, the Surface Duo OS team were tasked with modifying the experience for a single-screen foldable, laying the groundwork for this next-generation Surface foldable.

Alongside this effort, many of the Surface Duo OS team were moved over to a new Android project, which was just recently announced as Teams Rooms on Android.

Teams Rooms on Android is Microsoft’s attempt at becoming an AOSP vendor for device makers building Teams-powered conferencing devices like desk phones. Previously, OEMs built their own software for these devices and licensed the Teams integration, but now, Microsoft has full control of the OS from the ground up.

For whatever reason, Microsoft considers this effort more important than supporting the Surface Duo with new features and bug fixes, so work on Android for Surface Duo has slowed while the team focused on Teams Rooms on Android. That’s why Android 12L launched in October and has received pretty much no fixes or improvements since.

What’s worse is I’m told that as of late 2022, Microsoft had no plans to ship Android 13 for Surface Duo, with the thinking being that the company would wait for Android 14 first. That might have changed since, but I’ve not been able to confirm it.

Microsoft + Google partnership isn't helping

I have heard from many sources now that Microsoft’s highly touted “partnership” with Google on the Surface Duo extends no further than a standard OEM partnership that Google holds with all Android manufacturers. In fact, I hear that the partnership has turned a bit sour, with Google refusing to offer Microsoft access to Android source-code ahead of general availability like it does with other OEMs such as Samsung.

This is why Android 12L for Surface Duo took so long, because unlike Samsung and other OEMs, Microsoft had to wait until Android 12L was finished in March 2022 before it could start working on porting the OS to Surface Duo. Samsung was able to begin that work for the Galaxy Fold 3 and Galaxy Fold 4 a few months earlier.

My sources don’t know why the partnership between Microsoft and Google isn’t working. Perhaps it has something to do with Microsoft’s rumored mobile app store?

Surface Duo 3 has an uphill battle ahead of it

Designing hardware is all well and good, but unless you can get the software teams to fully invest in the hardware, there's really no point. That's the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2's ultimate downfall. Google, heck, not even Microsoft wants to properly support a dual-screen foldable, which is why the company is pivoting to a traditional foldable design instead.

But that means Microsoft needs to fully invest in the Android OS side of things to differentiate a foldable Surface Duo from the competition. Why buy a foldable Surface Duo 3 over a Pixel Fold or Galaxy Fold? That's a question Microsoft is aware it needs to answer.

As it currently stands, it doesn't look like Microsoft has the resources to fully invest in this vision. Recent layoffs haven't helped, and I hear many orgs have been asked to focus on projects that are more likely to make a profit, which means devices like the Surface Duo 3 are being temporarily placed on the back burner.

I think it's fair to say that the Surface Duo is in trouble, and it's going to need all the important Android software teams at Microsoft to get behind any future vision if it really wants to ship a Surface Duo 3 next fall. 

The world of Windows is full of news. From apocalyptic titles like Diablo 4 to Surface hardware, news makes it across our desk and onto the front page at a blistering pace. That's why each weekend we gather the biggest news stories in a convenient roundup.

If you prefer to listen to your news, make sure to check out the Windows Central Podcast. Our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino and our Senior Editor Zac Bowden discuss the hottest topics in tech, break news, and add insight.

Surface Go 4 and smaller Surface Pro

Microsoft has a pair of smaller Surface devices on the way. Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden exclusively reported that Microsoft is planning to ship a Surface Go 4 with an ARM chip inside.

The Surface Pro X runs on an ARM chip, as do some models of the Surface Pro 9, but this would be the first Surface Go to have an ARM processor. The device is codenamed Tanta, and it will run on a Snapdragon 7c-based SoC in the entry-level model. That should deliver similar performance to the preceding Surface Go model while having better battery life.

Bowden also heard "whispers" that Microsoft will ship a new Surface Pro in two sizes. In addition to the 13-inch Surface Pro, the company is working on an 11-inch Surface Pro. The sizing options are similar to those seen for the iPad Pro.

While the new Surface hardware is exciting, it will likely be quite some time before we see it ship. Bowden said that it's unlikely either device will come out before this fall, and either of them could be pushed back further.

Windows 10X on Surface Duo

Sticking with Surface news, independent developer Gustave Monce managed to get Windows 10X to run on both displays of the original Surface Duo. That device is meant to run Android, but Monce has spent years figuring out ways to get different forms of Windows to run on the Duo.

Windows 10X on the Surface Duo looks a lot like the Surface Neo that never saw the light of day. While the Neo was larger than the Duo, both devices had a pair of displays and could fold around a hinge.

With Windows 10X canceled and the Surface Neo being put on the chopping block as well, Monce's project is probably the closest we'll get to a folding dual-screen device running an OS designed for that form factor.

Windows 11 Taskbar features

When Microsoft made Windows 11, the company rewrote the Taskbar. That process left out some fan-favorite features. Many of those have made their way back over time, such as showing seconds on the clock. Now, another popular feature is set to make its return. The Windows 11 Taskbar will soon have the ability to "never combine" and to "show app labels."

The option to never combine items in the Taskbar has been heavily requested since the release of Windows 11. Previous versions of Windows supported it, so anyone that relied on the feature for their workflow has missed out for a while.

The two features were hidden in the latest Insider Build of Windows 11, so it may be a bit before they make their way to a general release of Windows.

Diablo 4 Slam Beta

Diablo 4 is a highly anticipated game that could make its way onto our list of the best Xbox games. The title won't launch until June 6, 2023, but you don't have to wait until then to try it out. The open beta ended in March, but a special beta-style "Server Slam" event is coming up.

Server Slam kicks off on May 12, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET and will run through May 14, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET.

The aim of the event is to stress test Diablo 4's servers. To do so, the game needs a load of players online at once. During Server Slam, gamers will be able to play through the Prologue and Act 1 of Diablo 4's campaign. All five of the Diablo 4 classes will be playable.

The Diablo 4 Server Slam beta has a few differences from the open beta that ran earlier this year. For example, the level cap during Server Slam is 20 instead of 25. A Server Slam patch also includes Diablo 4 beta feedback-driven balance changes that will launch with the game.

Our piece on the Diablo 4 Server Slam beta includes steps on how to download the game and play during Server Slam.

Microsoft rejects Twitter

With Twitter removing legacy checkmarks, it's becoming clear who pays for Twitter and who doesn't. But Microsoft decided to stop paying for a different Twitter service this week. The tech giant removed Twitter as an option for its Digital Marking Center's social media management tool.

Twitter would have companies like Microsoft pay at least $42,000 per month to have access to the API needed to power the marketing tool in question.

Twitter owner Elon Musk responded to Microsoft's move by claiming Microsoft "trained illegally," likely referring to Bing Chat. Musk also threatened a lawsuit against the company, though he is not known for following through on all of his threats.

Samsung may ditch Google for Bing

The new Bing has turned heads, thanks in large part to its integration with ChatGPT. A new report states that Samsung could swap its default search engine to Bing. That would be a major coup for Microsoft, as Samsung devices currently use Google by default.

If Samsung switches to Bing, Google could lose $3 billion annually.

There's always a chance that Samsung is merely using the potential swap to Bing as a negotiation tactic to get Google to pay more, but we'll have to wait to see what happens. Microsoft and Samsung have gotten closer over the years. Perhaps that relationship could help Microsoft get a victory over Google.

Reviews & Editorials

Each week our experts review the latest gadgets, gear, and games. This week we looked at Minecraft Legends, the Dell UltraSharp Curved Monitor, Dead Island 2, and plenty more.

Our team also shares editorials and features that share insight and perspective on the latest tech trends.

• ChatGPT? More like ChadGPT: How I'm using AI as my personal trainer
• The Xbox handheld is already here — it's called the Steam Deck (with Windows 11)
• Minecraft Legends review (Xbox): Amazing alone, even more fantastic with friends
• Dell UltraSharp 49 Curved Monitor (U4924DW) review: The multitasker's best friend if used correctly
• Dead Island 2 review: One Hell-A of a good time
• Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro review: The laptop that leaves Surface Laptop 5 in the dust
• Turtle Beach Stealth Pro (Xbox, PC) Headset Review: Turtle Beach ascends

What you need to know

• Third-party developer Gustave Monce managed to get Windows 10X to run on the Surface Duo.
• Originally, Windows 10X was restricted to one display of the Duo, but that limitation has been fixed.
• The Surface Duo running Windows 10X runs in a similar manner to the Surface Neo that Microsoft canceled.

When Microsoft first unveiled the Surface Duo, the company also announced the Surface Neo. The fates of those devices have gone down different paths, with the Duo shipping to consumers and receiving a sequel while the Neo never saw the light of day. Despite this divergence, the Duo and Neo are now connected by Windows 10X.

The Surface Neo was supposed to ship with Windows 10X, a modern version of Windows that shed some of the legacy and bloat of previous generations. Like Neo, Windows 10X was never released, but early builds of it gave us a glimpse of what a lightweight version Windows could look like.

Windows 10X was never meant for the Duo, which runs Android, but it has been forced onto the device.

Third-party developer Gustave Monce has worked for years to get Windows to run on the Duo. He recently got Windows 10X to run on the foldable. Late Sunday night, Monce shared that he figured out how to get Windows 10X to run on both screens of the Surface Duo.

Shane Craig showed how Windows 10X works on the Surface Duo in a recent video.

When running on both screens, the setup looks like a blend of the Surface Duo running Android and design elements that have made their way to Windows 11 from Windows 10X. For example, the Start menu can be opened by swiping up from the minimized Taskbar. That functionality is available in the most recent Insider builds of Windows 11.

Swapping an app from one screen to the other functions much like when the Duo runs Android. The main difference is that rather than swiping from the bottom, Windows 10X on the Surface Duo requires you to swipe from the top. You can also span an app across two displays.

The Surface Duo with Windows 10X may be the closest we ever get to a Surface Neo, at least as the PC was originally envisioned.

While it is possible to get Windows 10X to run on a Surface Duo, only technical users should even consider attempting to do so. An installation guide is on GitHub but it's important to note that a mistake could result in your device being bricked. There are also issues and several elements that will not work with the setup. It's a fun experiment but not something meant for a device you expect to use daily.

As pointed out by our Senior Editor Zac Bowden, the merging of Windows 10X and the Surface Duo is poetic. Windows 10X was born, at least in part, out of the remains of Andromeda OS, which runs on the Surface Duo.

We're back with another exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast, and on this week's episode, Dan and Zac discuss Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Dock 3, running Windows 10X on the Surface Duo, Bing AI Chat on Microsoft Edge, the ASUS ROG Ally April Fools saga, and more!

Links

• Microsoft’s Upcoming 'Surface Dock 3' - Windows Central
• You Can Now Run Windows 10X On The Surface Duo - Windows Central
• How To Enable Bing AI Chat Directly In Microsoft Edge - Windows Central
• ASUS ROG Ally April Fools' Joke - Windows Central

Sponsors:

• Indeed: Hire better with Indeed. Visit indeed.com/wcp to start hiring now.

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Find us elsewhere:

• Download directly: Audio
• Listen via Spotify
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe via RSS
• Subscribe via Google Play Music
• Subscribe via Pocket Casts
• Watch the live stream video archive

What you need to know

• A third-party developer has brought Microsoft's canceled Windows 10X to the Surface Duo.
• This first release includes graphics drivers and showcases how smooth Windows 10X is on mobile hardware.
• Support for dual-screen scenarios is coming soon.

Microsoft's first-generation Surface Duo is now able to run Windows 10X, thanks to a new release by the DuoWOA project, a third-party effort that originally brought Windows 10 and Windows 11 to the Surface Duo. Gustave Monce on Twitter announced the new release over the weekend, along with a brief demo which showcases the OS in action.

This first release is a "V0" which means there's a few things that still don't work correctly. For example, dual-screen functionality isn't yet in, though Monce says that will be coming in V1, and will support all the same dual-screen features that Surface Neo would have supported. Support for cellular phone calls also isn't in.

The process for installing Windows 10X on the Surface Duo is not simple either, so this project isn't for the faint of heart. You can follow the installation guide here, though keep in mind that failing to follow the instructions correctly could result in you bricking your device. A version for Surface Duo 2 is also not yet available.

When the project is fully functional, running Windows 10X on the Surface Duo will be like using a mini Surface Neo, complete with the ability to span UWP apps across both screens. It's quite poetic, knowing that Windows 10X was partially born out of the ashes of Andromeda OS, and now it's running on the Surface Duo. It's like the vision has come full circle.

Obviously, Windows 10X has since been canceled, so there's no ongoing support for this platform by Microsoft. Microsoft's efforts have since moved over to Windows 11, which brought much of the Windows 10X UI over to Windows Desktop. But there's no denying how much more fluid and lightweight Windows 10X is compared to Windows 11, and the Surface Duo really showcases that.

What you need to know

• The Windows 11 on Surface Duo project just received an update to version 2303.64.
• The update adds the ability to update the Surface Slim Pen charger by plugging it into the Surface Duo with a USB-C cable.
• The setup now supports DisplayPort through USB-C as well.

Microsoft doesn't make a mobile device that runs Windows 11, but if you're tech savvy, you can force the PC operating system onto a Surface Duo. The Windows 11 on Surface Duo project has been in the works for a year. A recent update added several capabilities, including DisplayPort support via USB-C and the ability to update a Surface Slim Pen charger by plugging it into a Surface Duo.

Gustave Monce, who heads the Windows 11 on Surface Duo project, shared the release notes for the most recent update:

• You can now update your Surface Slim Pen charger by plugging it into Surface Duo using an USB-C to C cable. Updating the charging cradle is required in order for the Surface Slim Pen 2 to charge in the cradle in case the cradle does not run the latest available firmware.
• Putting a Surface Slim Pen into a connected charging cradle will automatically pair it with Surface Duo
• Removing a Surface Slim Pen from a connected charging cradle will automatically wake up Surface Duo
• New firmware is now available for Surface Slim Pen 2 users (pen will automatically update once connected to the device)
• Touch drivers are now shared between both devices
• You can now use OTG devices effortlessly
• Charging is back into this release, without BSOD issues that have been plaguing it before
• [WIP] Updated Calibration for Pens and Touch, not all of the changes are available as of now, so calibration may not be applied with this update (wait the next update)
• [WIP] Added support for DisplayPort via USB-C
• [WIP] Updated Camera drivers, the Camera app will now start but not do much else
• [WIP] Updated Sensor driver to make the Geomagnetic Orientation sensor available

The Surface Duo is not meant to run Windows 11, so you will run into bugs and limits when you force the PC operating system onto the mobile device. But for those brave enough, and savvy enough, to give it a try will have a unique mobile experience.

If you prefer to use the Surface Duo with Android as Microsoft intended, you should check out a recent piece by our Managing Editor Richard Devine. He found that while he couldn't use the Surface Duo as a phone, he enjoyed using it as a tablet. Note that his piece is about the Surface Duo 2, but the original Surface Duo has several of the same pros and cons.

Despite having started my journey in this industry covering phones, I'm just not interested in them anymore. And so, initially I dismissed the Surface Duo, no matter how impressed I found myself with its design and potential. I'm just bored with phones now. That's why I use an iPhone. Because it's boring and just does the phone things I want. 

However, I have now, finally, actually tried the Surface Duo. It's the first-gen model, so not the latest and greatest, but that's absolutely fine. I only care about horsepower on my PC. The form factor and potential use cases in my daily life are what I'm more interested in, anyway. 

I've been playing with one for just over a week now, and I'm already convinced. Not that it could be my phone, my only device. Not at all. There's no way that I, personally, could use a device like this as a phone I use to call people with and do other mundane phone things. But the Surface Duo has completely consumed me as a replacement for a tablet. And my Kindle. And now I want the Surface Neo to become a real thing again.

Two screens are better than one

I've used every sized iPad from the Mini up to the iPad Pro 12.9, and none have ever stuck. I'll use them for a while and then just get bored. Part of that is iOS, it just doesn't do what I wish could be done on larger screens. But mostly it's because even the smallest one is still quite a large thing and doesn't really feel like something I want to carry around alongside my iPhone. 

But the Surface Duo has two screens. And with that comes so many possibilities. I generally use a tablet to relax, but occasionally for more boring tasks like checking email, social media, etc. However good split screen or multi-app support has been on the iPad or the few times I've tried living with an Android tablet, having two distinct screens is just better. 

It's like using two big-screen phones at once. So using more than one app doesn't ever feel like I'm being distracted. And of course, folding it around and turning off one display means I can focus when I want to. 

It's been really awesome for watching media content, too. Daily, now, if I'm washing the dishes or eating lunch at the kitchen table, the Duo comes with me. Folding one display up to watch Netflix or YouTube without needing a case with a kickstand is more convenient than I ever thought possible. It's just nice. Really nice. 

More portable than a tablet or a Kindle

The real gem of the Surface Duo is that it folds in half. And I, for one, am glad it isn't a folding display with an unsightly seam down the middle. Those things drive me crazy. 

But the Surface Duo fits in any pocket on any of my clothing. It hasn't been beaten once. I can't say the same for an iPad Mini or my Kindle. That's the other device that has been replaced by the Duo. 

I never enjoyed reading on an iPad. Or my phone. So I bought a Kindle. Naturally, it still has many advantages, but the Kindle app is properly optimized for the Duo and so you get two pages on it at a time. And you can hold it like a real book. These little details mean the Kindle has now retired to a drawer and the Surface Duo is the main reading device now. 

But it's not just a fancy e-reader. The fact it runs Android, the fact it can seamlessly run two apps side by side, is incredibly portable, and has huge screen real estate when required has been a game changer for me. I guess I really did just need to bite the bullet and try it for myself to see that. 

Now I just need one with Windows

The Surface Neo was always interesting to me and I was really disappointed when it got canned. While that might not be happening anymore it does at least give me hope for the future to see folding devices from the likes of Lenovo and ASUS. 

I still think that I would personally prefer to have two separate displays over a single folding one. I'm still a little unsure about the longevity of folding displays for the length of time I traditionally like to keep a device that would cost so much, and I guess I'm going to have to get over the crease that inevitably seems to follow these things. Especially if the Surface Duo 3 is going to go down this path. 

While Microsoft may not be getting into the larger devices itself, we are in good hands it seems when it comes to getting these types of devices from others. Lenovo is already well into it, even now experimenting with rollable displays for its laptops. The ASUS folding ZenBook also looks incredible, and there's bound to be even more selection coming in the future. 

I guess using the Surface Duo finally has been a transformative experience. 

What you need to know

• A Reddit user converted the Surface Duo 2 into a handheld gaming device for emulation.
• The setup adds physical controls, a fan, and a USB dock to the folding phone.
• The Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 are not compatible with many gaming controllers, such as the Razer Kishi V2.

Microsoft's Surface Duo is many things. It's a folding phone with two screens rather than one. It's an incredibly light device built around productivity. It's even almost the Xbox handheld dream, according to our Zachary Boddy. But one thing the Surface Duo is not is compatible with game controllers.

Because of the unique design of the Surface Duo, plus where its charging port is, it does not fit inside the Razer Kishi V2 or similar devices. That leaves few options for those that want to use physical controls when gaming on the Duo. While you can use an Xbox controller phone mount, those are top-heavy with single-screen devices. Holding up an unfolded Duo on a mount would be an arm workout.

Rather than settling for subpar options, a Reddit user called Sarspazzard created a custom Surface Duo 2 setup with physical controls, a fan, and even slots for a microSD card and a USB thumb stick.

The setup is about as elegant as one could create when working with form factor and design of the Surface Duo, especially when taking into account the fact that the goal of this build is game emulation.

The Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 have niche followings due to their dual-screen designs. Many enjoy using them to emulate Nintendo DS games, since the extra screen better replicates the form factor of the DS. But most setups I've seen use on-screen controls rather than physical controls. That's fine for some titles but isn't the best for others.

The fan on the custom setup should also keep the Duo cooler, which is nice since phones can heat up during extended gaming sessions.

If you're interested in replicating the setup, Sarspazzard shared links to each one of the components.

A new report from a trusted Apple leaker has suggested that Apple is planning to ship its first foldable iPad as soon as next year. No details about the device itself have been revealed yet, including whether or not it will be an iPhone / iPad hybrid, or iPad / Laptop hybrid.

Assuming it's the latter, this does raise an important question for us in the PC space: Where is Microsoft's foldable Surface PC? Foldables are up and coming, and we're already starting to see them from Microsoft's own partners like Lenovo and ASUS, but Microsoft itself is yet to venture down the path of foldable tablet PCs.

Android is already being adapted to work better on foldable phones and tablets, which has benefited manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Oppo immensely. Over on the PC side, we've not seen anything of the sort. Microsoft has not updated Windows to better support foldable screens, so manufacturers have been forced to handle the software aspect themselves.

As a result, Windows foldables are a bit of a mess. Lenovo's first foldable had terrible software that essentially strong-armed Windows into bending to conform to a foldable screen, but it never worked well. Lenovo's second foldable PC is on the horizon, and while it does use updated software, early hands-on demos do make it seem like the experience still isn't going to be as polished as might be on an Android device.

If Apple is planning to ship a foldable iPad next year, then it's likely already working on foldable support for iOS and iPadOS. Arguably, Apple is in the best position to ship a foldable device, being that it has both high-quality phone and tablet apps that the device could switch between on the fly. 

And knowing Apple, its software polish will simply blow everything else out of the water. Transitions and animations will be smooth, unlike on Windows PCs using third-party software to force Windows into submission. 

Here's what Windows needs to be good on foldable PCs:

• Fluid animations when switching between postures.
• Automatic detection of a physical keyboard on one half of the screen.
• Be able to switch off one side of the display when using a 360-degree folding screen.
• Be able to correctly switch between tablet and laptop modes and have the bottom half be a virtual keyboard/trackpad and the top half be the Windows desktop.

I'm hoping that with the next big release of the Windows client in 2024, Microsoft does add these things to support foldable PCs. If Microsoft wants Windows to be a viable player in the foldable market, it simply needs to support these things sooner rather than later.

Additionally, a Surface foldable PC would go a long way to showing the market that it's serious about foldables, as Google and Apple are rumored to be doing imminently. We know Microsoft is working on a foldable Surface Duo 3, but that's going to be an Android device, not Windows.

Next year could be the perfect time to relaunch the Neo and Duo vision, but with two foldable devices instead of dual-screen devices. The Surface Duo 3 being a foldable phone running Android, and the rebirthed Surface Neo being a foldable PC running Windows.

News started off relatively slow in the first week of 2023. That was not the case as the year continued. Over the last seven days we saw reports about the Surface Duo 3, and Microsoft shift Teams features to its Premium service. Plans for an upgrade to the Windows 11 File Explorer also emerged alongside other news in the land of Microsoft and PCs.

Surface Duo 3

The Microsoft Surface Duo 3 is dead, well, at least a version of it. According to our senior editor Zac Bowden, Microsoft scrapped its plans for a dual-screen Surface Duo 3. Instead, the company is working on a device with an internal folding display, much like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Vivo X Fold, and HONOR Magic Vs.

Microsoft already had a near-final design for a dual-screen Surface Duo 3, but the company made a late shift in its plans. That device with two displays was set to ship at the end of 2023, but its replacement foldable with a single internal display is unlikely to come out this year.

Not much is known about the exact shape or style of the Surface Duo 3. In fact, that may not even be the device's name. Microsoft may opt for new branding when it makes such a dramatic shift in form factor.

Bowden also shared information about a potential traditional slab phone from Microsoft. He also talked about the tech giant's efforts to bring together Android and Windows devices.

Apple Apps on Windows 11

New Apple applications made their way in preview to Windows 11 this week. Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Devices are all available through the Microsoft Store.

In what might be the largest surprise about Apple's apps on Windows 11, they aren't terrible! Our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino showed off the preview version of the Apple apps this week. Unlike Apple's archaic iTunes, the new Apple Music and Apple TV apps are modern apps that fit right in on Windows 11.

In addition to looking the part, the apps appear to be built on .NET6, according to developer Dennis H. on Twitter. That tech is somewhat like a successor to UWP.

Perhaps the best part about these new apps is that they'll remove the need to have iTunes installed on a PC. That piece of software has received hate — deservedly so — for years.

Apple TV support 4K UHD content and even has several modes, including full screen, windowed, and mini-Windows player that can float above other apps.

Apple Devices didn't work in Rubino's testing, but all of the apps are in preview so bugs can be excused.

Teams losing features

Microsoft Teams Premium is a new service from Microsoft that aims to enhance the experience of the popular communication platform. It has AI tools, security enhancements, and features to customize meetings and webinars. Team Premium is scheduled to roll out in February 2023, but it's not all good news for Teams users.

Some features that have been available on the version of Microsoft Teams that comes with Microsoft 365 will become Teams Premium features. As a result, people will have to pay extra to continue to use certain tools that have already been available as part of their existing subscription.

Specifically, these features are moving from Teams to Teams Premium:

• Live translated captions.
• Timeline markers in Teams meeting recordings for when a user left or joined meetings.
• Custom organization Together mode scenes.
• Virtual Appointments: SMS notifications.
• Virtual Appointments: Organizational analytics in the Teams admin center.
• Virtual Appointments: Scheduled queue view.

There will be a 30-day grace period where Teams users can continue to use the features. After that, they'll need a Teams Premium license to keep the tools.

As a point of clarification, the features that are shifting are moving from Teams to Teams Premium. The free version of Teams will be unaffected.

File Explorer update

Microsoft has plans to modernize File Explorer on Windows 11, based on code discovered by Twitter user FireCube. Elements were spotted in the latest Windows 11 preview builds that suggest a completed new interface is on the way to File Explorer. At the moment, File Explorer includes a mix of new and old designs.

The discovered code made references to several new features and areas that are likely regarding Microsoft 365.

Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden added that according to his own sources, File Explorer will become more touch friendly.

Microsoft VALL-E

AI tools are all the rage these days. Microsoft's VALL-E made headlines for its ability to replicate any voice using only a three-second sample. Unlike many AI models, VALL-E can simulate the emotional inflection of a clip. A paper out of Cornell University discussed the use of VALL-E to synthesize several voices.

The clips range quite a bit in quality. Some are almost convincing while others are clearly robotic. Like most AI tools, VALL-E should improve over time and would also create better results with a larger sample size.

VALL-E led some to raise questions about security, since the tool could be used to replicate the voices of politicians or loved ones as part of scams.

Review Roundup

Our experts take a look at the gadgets, games, accessories, and more every week. Over the last seven days, our team reviewed a Steam Deck Dock, a Wacom Pen display, a WD SSD for Xbox and PC, and many other devices.

• UGREEN 12-in-1 docking station review: A champion for Surface and other USB-C laptops emerges
• Wacom One review: A high-quality, budget conscience PC pen display
• Glorious GMMK Pro review: A terrific DIY mechanical keyboard with one caveat
• Surface Laptop 5 long-term review: Does an old design still make for a great laptop?
• WD_BLACK P40 Game Drive SSD for Xbox & PC review: Another great storage solution, but with RGB
• JSAUX Steam Deck dock review: Why pay more?
• GameSir G7 Wired Controller for Xbox & PC review: Thoughtful features, quality, and a cable
• Roccat Syn Max Air wireless headset review: An affordable charging dock for gamers