Microsoft’s next foldable phone will have one internal display

Microsoft’s next Surface foldable phone won’t be a dual-screen device, according to Windows Central sources familiar with the company’s plans. After extensive hardware prototyping and experimentation, the company opted for a more traditional foldable design, featuring a 180-degree hinge, an internal flexible foldable screen, and an external on-body display, similar to devices like the Vivo X Fold and Honor Magic Vs. The change compared to Surface Duo 2 (below) will therefore be significant.

According to sources, this new foldable device comes after the company has already finalized a dual-screen design for the Surface Duo 3. The new dual-screen model was expected to hit the market in late 2023 as the next in the Surface Duo lineup. It was to feature taller and narrower bezel-less displays, wireless charging, and other improvements. This dual-screen design was scrapped, however, and the Surface team is now focused on delivering this new “true” foldable smartphone. Microsoft began exploring single-screen foldable designs as a successor to the Surface Duo 2 in late 2021 after the Duo 3’s dual-screen prototype was met with mixed reviews.

It is too early to talk about the specifications of Microsoft’s new foldable smartphone, the release date is also unknown, but it is unlikely that the new design will be ready this year. Microsoft has also recently filed several patents for single-screen foldables with a 360-degree hinge, but the new Duo 3 is likely to have a 180-degree hinge like most modern foldable phones. Perhaps, however, the next MS smartphones will have a different design.

It also seems that Microsoft, at least for now, remains faithful to portable Android devices and will continue to develop its software for these devices. Let’s hope they don’t make us wait long for the new Duo 3.

Source:
Own development/Windows Central