The Surface Duo is Windows Phone all over again

(Image credit: Windows Central)

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

Microsoft Surface Duo 2 in hand — It feels like we're going down an all too familiar path (Image credit: Future)

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.

what's new tab showing what is new in the latest Swiftkey update — Huawei devices getting Bing AI functionality in SwiftKey whilst MIA on Surface Duo (Image credit: Windows Central)

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

Split screen typing with SwiftKey on the Surface Duo — SwiftKey has the new Bing AI features now basically everywhere except Microsoft's own hardware. (Image credit: Windows Central)

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.

Xbox Gamepass app on Surface Duo — What the Xbox Game Pass app is supposed to look like when it works (Image credit: Windows Central)

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

Microsoft Surface Duo — (Image credit: Windows Central)

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.

Dan is a tech contributor on Windows Central. A long time Xbox gamer and former partner on Microsoft's retired streaming platform Mixer, he can often be found crying into a cup of tea whilst thinking about Windows Phone. You can follow Dan on Twitter where you will find him talking about tech, Formula 1 and his latest victories in Battle Royale games.

33 Comments Comment from the forums

Reeves

I agree that the market needs more players, but in terms of hardware...Google IS that third player.

They target consumers, not enterprise. They've been committed to new SKUs every year for quite awhile now. They compete at multiple price points. They spend a ton of money for advertising and celebrity endorsements. Microsoft could've done this when building up Windows Phone AND they could've done this when jumping into the Android. They didn't and just won't.

I respect diehards who still ride with them after all of these abandoned failures, but I don't know why this surprises or disappoints them in 2023...
Reply
GraniteStateColin

Yup. Well said. As a Windows Phone user, I realize it may have been self-serving, but it came from my role as a business and product development strategist, not a user: when you let products die, there is a cost to all future products, because the market won't trust you. Now, it may still be the right move. If virtually no one is using it or it's losing money, then killing it is better that continually pouring money down a hole. But before choosing to deprioritize or abandon a product, consider the new costs that creates by making it more expensive to launch everything in the future. In some cases, that will change the conclusion to proceed or cancel.

Consider, if MS had fought tooth and nail to make Windows Phone succeed. Even if it had failed after that, when they released the Duo, users would know that MS would at least give the product its all. Customers would be willing to take a chance, confident it would get better over time (like what CDPR has done with Cyberpunk 2077, albeit for software rather than hardware). Instead, users were hesitant to trust MS with the DUO, standing on the sidelines waiting and maybe hoping, but not willing to buy.

That is the cost of the way MS handled Windows Phone. The failure of the Duo is not just MS repeating the same approach, but it's actually, in part a CONSEQUENCE of how they handled Windows Phone (and Kinect, Zune, and, to a lesser extent, because it was never a major product, Band).

For MS to succeed with these products, it's more important to demonstrate a willingness and commitment than it is to actually get it perfect out of the gate. PROVE to customers that even if it's flawed, you'll always keep working to make it right. That engenders trust and then customers will spend money.

Ironically, in the Bill Gates days, this is exactly what made MS successful. They would often release crappy products, but they kept at it like their life depended on it until they got it right. That's how Word took over from Word Perfect, Excel from Lotus 123, IE from Netscape, Windows NT -> XP over Solaris and other *nix for user workstations etc. All of those started as feeble versions that the MS of today would abandon for lack of customer/user interest.
Reply
GraniteStateColin

Reeves said:
I agree that the market needs more players, but in terms of hardware...Google IS that third player.

They target consumers, not enterprise. They've been committed to new SKUs every year for quite awhile now. They compete at multiple price points. They spend a ton of money for advertising and celebrity endorsements. Microsoft could've done this when building up Windows Phone AND they could've done this when jumping into the Android. They didn't and just won't.

I respect diehards who still ride with them after all of these abandoned failures, but I don't know why this surprises or disappoints them in 2023...

Yes, Google targets consumers, but primarily in order to sell them to enterprise as ad targets. I find their business model despicable. I support their legal right to carry out that model, but I think it's unethical and I do what I can to avoid giving them my business.

As a personal experience, I recently had to work with Google: my son wanted to post YouTube videos. I had no trouble setting him up with the hardware and software to record and edit video, do voiceovers, etc. All the parts that one would expect might be a challenge. The ONLY part that has been a problem has been navigating the absurd and self-contradicting consumer monetization and child protection policies that Google has for child accounts and YouTube usage. The support forums have not be helpful, and because Google views its users as the products it sells to its customers (enterprise), there's no real way to get any direct support on this. As far as I can tell, what we wanted to do in having a child account (still managed by a parent) be able to post videos is impossible, so we're just going to lie and set up my son with an adult account, but this is just one more example of Google being an absolute horrible company to deal with. Just a personal anecdote, but aligns with my prior conclusions based on a much larger set of data.
Reply
GraniteStateColin

GraniteStateColin said:
Yup. Well said. As a Windows Phone user, I realize it may have been self-serving, but it came from my role as a business and product development strategist, not a user: when you let products die, there is a cost to all future products, because the market won't trust you. Now, it may still be the right move. If virtually no one is using it or it's losing money, then killing it is better that continually pouring money down a hole. But before choosing to deprioritize or abandon a product, consider the new costs that creates by making it more expensive to launch everything in the future. In some cases, that will change the conclusion to proceed or cancel.

Consider, if MS had fought tooth and nail to make Windows Phone succeed. Even if it had failed after that, when they released the Duo, users would know that MS would at least give the product its all. Customers would be willing to take a chance, confident it would get better over time (like what CDPR has done with Cyberpunk 2077, albeit for software rather than hardware). Instead, users were hesitant to trust MS with the DUO, standing on the sidelines waiting and maybe hoping, but not willing to buy.

That is the cost of the way MS handled Windows Phone. The failure of the Duo is not just MS repeating the same approach, but it's actually, in part a CONSEQUENCE of how they handled Windows Phone (and Kinect, Zune, and, to a lesser extent, because it was never a major product, Band).

For MS to succeed with these products, it's more important to demonstrate a willingness and commitment than it is to actually get it perfect out of the gate. PROVE to customers that even if it's flawed, you'll always keep working to make it right. That engenders trust and then customers will spend money.

Ironically, in the Bill Gates days, this is exactly what made MS successful. They would often release crappy products, but they kept at it like their life depended on it until they got it right. That's how Word took over from Word Perfect, Excel from Lotus 123, IE from Netscape, Windows NT -> XP over Solaris and other *nix for user workstations etc. All of those started as feeble versions that the MS of today would abandon for lack of customer/user interest.

I'll add that I actually love my Surface Duo 2 (and the 1 before it, except for the terrible camera). I'll keep using it as long as I can, until a phone comes along with similar features. I've tried alternative phones. I do appreciate the Duo is falling behind on some software options, but, for me, it's still better by a country mile than any other options out there. Mainly, it's the wide aspect ratio and ability to fold open (so no need for that wasteful external screen) and go into tent mode. When foldable screens can bend 360 degrees (I'm sure they will be able to eventually), that's when foldable will beat 2 separate screens for me.
Reply
Steelvictory7

It's a reality that you either choose to live with or simply transition to another brand. Whether it was Zune, Microsoft Band, Windows Phone, Skype, or other products that have either been abandoned completely or put on the back burner, I have just come to grips with the fact that my experience with every new endeavor of Microsoft has the chance of being short lived. I simply choose to embrace the experience. I wouldn't substitute my Zune for an Ipod even knowing Microsoft would stop support. That goes for Groove over iTunes. The Microsoft Band worked great with Windows phone and I loved the features. I still choose to use Skype to talk to my daughters over other mediums. I use the Surface Duo 2 as my primary driver and for the most part have been pleased. All of these products offered an experience I just couldn't get with similar products from other brands. Of course some of it is biasness, but I stand firm in the fact that Ijust enjoy the Microsoft ecosystem (Surface Pro X, Xbox, Surface Duo 2, Surface Earbuds) over others.
Maybe there will be a Surface Duo 3, and if there is, I'll be in line to get it, knowing in the back of my mind that it might be the last iteration of the Surface Duo, just like the Xbox X/S series might be the last Xbox, or Desktop sales force the Surface Team to cut back on Surface tablets and laptops. Looking back, I've just enjoyed the ride...or maybe I'm just a glutant for punishment..lol.
Reply
coffee-turtle

i was willing to jump on board, but the price was out of my reach. Personally, I would have loved to have seen Windows Phone on the Surface Duo!

Even a very light version of Windows 11 would have been very interesting!

Android wasn't ready for this form factor and the ambitions Microsoft hoped to achieve with the Surface Duo.

Well, I guess picking up an old cheap Surface Duo 2 will become a reality soon. :-|
Reply
scottmcb

This is also why I never bought a Surface Duo or Duo 2.

I bought a few early Windows Phone devices (LG Quantum, Lumia 700), then later got a Lumia 820, and then a couple years later bought a Lumia 950.

But app support and OS updates were abysmal. I did love that I could connect my Lumia 950 to an external monitor and have a windows-like environment, but it just wasnt a great experience.

I have since graduated to a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and use the Dex feature with an external monitor often (a desktop-like experience for android apps).

I also bought into the MS Band 2, and the Harmon Kardon Invoke speaker over the years, and we see where that got me. I now use a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and Alexa speakers around the house. Oh yes, lets not forget the 30gb Zune I have an a closet somewhere. Replaced by my Galaxy phone.

It seems that Microsoft just CANNOT FULLY COMMIT to making great products, other than the typical Surface tablets and laptops. They throw something into the ring that isn't really ready yet, look at it for a while, and then decide to back away because not enough people buy it, because they didn't fully finish the device.

And lets not forget, Samsung is soon launching generation 5 of its Foldable phones. And the rumors are that MS is going with a single screen foldable for the next gen duo - at this point why even bother? They are setting themselves up for failure on a foldable device vs the dual screen device, with Samsung 5 generations ahead already.
Reply
DanRice

Reeves said:
I agree that the market needs more players, but in terms of hardware...Google IS that third player.

They target consumers, not enterprise. They've been committed to new SKUs every year for quite awhile now. They compete at multiple price points. They spend a ton of money for advertising and celebrity endorsements. Microsoft could've done this when building up Windows Phone AND they could've done this when jumping into the Android. They didn't and just won't.

I respect diehards who still ride with them after all of these abandoned failures, but I don't know why this surprises or disappoints them in 2023...
I think it's hope more than anything. I really like the products MS makes and nobody has made products I've enjoyed as much as those. Destined to be disappointed in perpetuity lol
Reply
DanRice

GraniteStateColin said:
I'll add that I actually love my Surface Duo 2 (and the 1 before it, except for the terrible camera). I'll keep using it as long as I can, until a phone comes along with similar features. I've tried alternative phones. I do appreciate the Duo is falling behind on some software options, but, for me, it's still better by a country mile than any other options out there. Mainly, it's the wide aspect ratio and ability to fold open (so no need for that wasteful external screen) and go into tent mode. When foldable screens can bend 360 degrees (I'm sure they will be able to eventually), that's when foldable will beat 2 separate screens for me.
I'm eyeing the Pixel Fold simply for it having that same kind of aspect ratio. Plus the clean experience and long support. Still want a Duo. Maybe I'll succumb after all.
Reply
DanRice

scottmcb said:
This is also why I never bought a Surface Duo or Duo 2.

I bought a few early Windows Phone devices (LG Quantum, Lumia 700), then later got a Lumia 820, and then a couple years later bought a Lumia 950.

But app support and OS updates were abysmal. I did love that I could connect my Lumia 950 to an external monitor and have a windows-like environment, but it just wasnt a great experience.

I have since graduated to a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and use the Dex feature with an external monitor often (a desktop-like experience for android apps).

I also bought into the MS Band 2, and the Harmon Kardon Invoke speaker over the years, and we see where that got me. I now use a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and Alexa speakers around the house. Oh yes, lets not forget the 30gb Zune I have an a closet somewhere. Replaced by my Galaxy phone.

It seems that Microsoft just CANNOT FULLY COMMIT to making great products, other than the typical Surface tablets and laptops. They throw something into the ring that isn't really ready yet, look at it for a while, and then decide to back away because not enough people buy it, because they didn't fully finish the device.

And lets not forget, Samsung is soon launching generation 5 of its Foldable phones. And the rumors are that MS is going with a single screen foldable for the next gen duo - at this point why even bother? They are setting themselves up for failure on a foldable device vs the dual screen device, with Samsung 5 generations ahead already.
You've had the same sort of experience as me. I don't know what it is but other parts of the business just seem to be given priority over the mobile efforts.
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