Microsoft almost made a Surface phone we actually wanted
Before the Duo, there was this.
Microsoft may have been on the verge of unveiling a Surface-branded Windows Phone long before the 2019 launch of the Surface Duo. A prototype phone, believed to have been created between 2013 and 2014, has recently been unearthed by Windows Central. The mysterious device boasted a 720p display, physical navigation buttons, a silver chassis reminiscent of the Surface line, and ran on Windows Phone 8.1.
This intriguing prospect of a Microsoft-built Surface Phone could have been announced alongside a Surface Pro device. However, the possibility of this project was likely dashed by the acquisition of Nokia. The subsequent Surface Duo, launched in 2020, took a very different approach with its dual-screen design, which came with its own set of compromises.
The Surface Duo and its successor, the Surface Duo 2, marked Microsoft's first attempt at designing a smartphone independently, with little to no prior experience in the field.
The Lumia line of phones, which carried Microsoft's software and branding, were not exclusively designed by Microsoft. The Nokia acquisition left its mark on these devices, showcasing a blend of Microsoft's software and Nokia's hardware DNA. In contrast, 2020's Surface Duo was arguably Microsoft's first smartphone that was truly designed and developed as a first-party Surface device, created on its own terms.
This revelation sheds light on the possibility that a Microsoft-built Surface Phone could have existed as early as 2014, showcasing a completely different product vision that never came to fruition.
Written by urgent.news from Android Authority's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
